Books That Matter

Let The Light of Christ Shine!

2012-01-05T05:10:00.001-08:00

I love Spurgeon, and one of my all time favorite devotionals is the wonderful Morning and Evening. Crossway has a great set with a forward from Alistair Begg, another favorite. Today's devotional actually coincided with what I was praying about today, that I would have a better awareness of Christ's presence and that His light would shine. So without further adieu, here is Mr. Spurgeon.....

“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”

— Genesis 1:4

Light might well be good since it sprang from that fiat of goodness, “Let there be light.” We who enjoy it should be more grateful for it than we are, and see more of God in it and by it. Light physical is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things, and ministers to our immortal natures. When the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual light, and opens our eyes to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we behold sin in its true colours, and ourselves in our real position; we see the Most Holy God as he reveals himself, the plan of mercy as he propounds it, and the world to come as the Word describes it. Spiritual light has many beams and prismatic colours, but whether they be knowledge, joy, holiness, or life, all are divinely good. If the light received be thus good, what must the essential light be, and how glorious must be the place where he reveals himself. O Lord, since light is so good, give us more of it, and more of thyself, the true light.

No sooner is there a good thing in the world, than a division is necessary. Light and darkness have no communion; God has divided them, let us not confound them. Sons of light must not have fellowship with deeds, doctrines, or deceits of darkness. The children of the day must be sober, honest, and bold in their Lord’s work, leaving the works of darkness to those who shall dwell in it for ever. Our Churches should by discipline divide the light from the darkness, and we should by our distinct separation from the world do the same. In judgment, in action, in hearing, in teaching, in association, we must discern between the precious and the vile, and maintain the great distinction which the Lord made upon the world’s first day. O Lord Jesus, be thou our light throughout the whole of this day, for thy light is the light of men.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything!!

2011-11-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

This is from Tullian Tchvidjian's blog...it was so good, had to re-post here! May this truth soak down deep into our souls and may we realize just how amazing the gospel truly is!

Last week my I was thrilled to see that my friend Justin Taylor highlighted on his blog Bo Giertz’s fictional work The Hammer of God. A relatively unknown book in Evangelical circles, Justin noted that Leland Ryken–longtime literature professor at Wheaton College–referred to Giertz’ book as “one of the best literary finds I have ever made.” I couldn’t agree more!

After sitting on my shelf uncracked for the better part of a year, I finally decided this past summer to read The Hammer of God(first published in 1941). I first heard about it from my friends Elyse Fitzpatrick and Mike Horton. I couldn’t put it down. It was simply breathtaking. Giertz was a master storyteller and theologian. Both of these gifts shine brightly on every page of this book. It tells three stories (novella’s) of three different pastors who learn in three different ways the nature and necessity of relying on God’s grace. It is law/gospel theology in captivating narrative form. You have to read it.

To whet your appetite, I want to share one part that I found especially illuminating for preachers. I need to first give some context, though.

Set in Sweden in the early 1800-s, Henrik is a young, remarkably gifted and fiery preacher who very much looks up to Justus Johan Linder, a preacher ten years his senior. Henrik is having a crisis of faith. Bothered by the behavioral worldliness all around him, he has become widely known for his passionate pleas and exhortations for people to stop sinning. He’s meticulous in his examination of sinful behavior both in and out of the pulpit. And it is bearing fruit. The church is packed every Sunday and licentious behavior is declining in the village. But, much to his surprise, “new sins” are popping up everywhere. He notices that while drinking and debauchery may be at an all time low, a self-righteous and legalistic hardness of heart has emerged in their place. While on the one hand Henrik is encouraged to see external worldliness dissipating, he’s remarkably discouraged to see a cold, loveless culture developing. Not only that, but now he’s beginning to realize the depth of his own sin. He feels like a hypocrite for preaching so strongly against the fruit of sin (behavior) while ignoring the deeper problem of sin’s root (unbelief). In despair over his own inability to be as good as he tells other people to be, he breaks down and confesses to Linder that he’s not even sure he’s saved. Linder’s response is pure gold:

Henrik, we must start again from the beginning. We have thundered like the storm [speaking of the way he and Henrik have preached God's Law], we have bombarded with the heaviest mortars of God’s Law in an attempt to break down the walls of sin. And that was surely right. I still load my gun with the best powder when I aim at unrepentance. But we had almost forgotten to let the sunshine of the gospel shine through the clouds. Our method has been to destroy all carnal security by our volley’s, but we have left it to the soul’s to build something new with their own resolutions and their own honest attempts at amending their lives. In that way, Henrik, it is never finished. We have not become finished ourselves. Now I have instead begun to preach about that which is finished, about that which is built on Calvary and which is a safe fortress to come to when the thunder rolls over our sinful heads. And now I always apportion the Word of God in three directions, not only to the self-satisfied [the bad people] as I did formerly, but also to the awakened [the "good" people] and to the anxious, the heavy laden and to the poor in spirit. And I find strength each day for my own poor heart at the fount of redemption.

Henrik is captivated by the “new” way in which Linder is preaching and he asks about the results. “Do you note any difference?”

Linder answers:

In the first place, I myself see light where formerly I saw only darkness. There is light in my heart and light over the congregation. Before, I was in despair over my people, at their impenitence. I see now that this was because I kept thinking that everything depended on what we should do, for when I saw so little of true repentance and victory over sin, helplessness crept into my heart. I counted and summed up all that they did [to clean up their act], and not the smallest percentage of debt was paid. But now I see that which is done, and I see that the whole debt is paid. Now therefore I go about my duties as might a prison warden who carries in his pocket a letter of pardon for all his criminals. Do you wonder why I am so happy? Now I see everything in the sun’s light. If God has done so much already, surely there is hope for what remains.

The way Linder describes the transformation that took place in his preaching is almost identical to the transformation that took place in mine (and Chuck’s-click here). I have a long way to go (bad habits die slowly), but a number of years ago a Copernican revolution of sorts took place in my own heart regarding the need to preach the law then the gospelwithout going back to the law as the way to keep God’s favor.

Preachers these days are expected to major in “Christian moral renovation.” They are expected to provide a practical “to-do” list, rather than announce, “It is finished.” They are expected to do something other than–more than–lift up before their congregations eyes Christ’s finished work, preaching a full absolution solely on the basis of the complete righteousness of Another. To be sure, preachers need to “load their guns with the best powder when aiming at unrepentance”, but far too often a preacher’s final word to Christians is law and not Gospel. To finish a sermon asking “What would Jesus do?” instead of announcing “This is what Jesus has done!” is to betray the final word God speaks over Christians.

“Life is a web of trials and temptations”, says Robert Capon, “but only one of them can ever be fatal–the temptation to think it is by further, better, and more aggressive living that we can have life.” Given this sobering statement, it would seem that many preachers unwittingly lead their congregations “into temptation” by implying (not explicitly stating, of course) that you can live your way to life. The fact is, however, that you can only “die [your] way there, lose [your] way there…For Jesus came to raise the dead. He did not come to reward the rewardable, improve the improvable, or correct the correctable; he came simply to be the resurrection and the life of those who will take their stand on a death he can use instead of on a life he cannot.” After our preaching of the law rightly pushes people under water, we all too often lead them to think that they must “save” themselves by giving them swimming lessons: “Paddle harder, kick faster.”

I want the last word I speak over Christians when I preach to be the last word God speaks over Christians–”Paid in full.” The Gospel always has the last word over a believer. Always. When it’s all said and done there are two types of sermons: Jesus + Nothing = Everything or Jesus + Something = Everything.

May God raise up a generation of bold preachers who storm the gates of works-righteousness in all its forms (both religious and secular) with nothing more and nothing less than:

In my place condemned he stood, and sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah, what a Savior.

A Magnificent Exchange

2011-10-23T16:28:00.000-07:00

This is taken from the Covenant Life website, great excerpt from Piper on Christ's righteousness that He gives us for our sin.

From “God Justified the Ungodly,” a sermon by John Piper:

2 Corinthians 5:21 is one of the most breathtaking passages about this great gift of imputed righteousness. “For our sake he [God] made him [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Christ knew no sin. He was a perfect man. He never sinned. He lived perfectly for the glory of God all his life and in his death. He was righteous. We, on the other hand have all sinned. We have belittled the glory of God. We are unrighteous.
But God, who chose us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, ordained that there would be a magnificent exchange: He would make Christ to be sin—not a sinner, but sin—our sin, our guilt, our punishment, our alienation from God, our unrighteousness. And he would take the righteousness of God, that Christ had so awesomely vindicated, and make us bear it and wear it and own it the way Christ did our sin.
The point here is not that Christ becomes morally a sinner and we become morally righteous. The point is that Christ bears an alien sin and suffers for it, and we bear an alien righteousness and live by it.

God Will Use You Even in Weakness!

2011-10-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

"If God has called you, then he has given you what you need to do the job. You may not have all that others have, or all you wish you had, but you have what God wants you to have. Accept it, be faithful to use it, and in due time God will give you more.
‎Give yourself time to discover and develop your gifts. Accept nothing as a handicap. Turn it over to God and let him make a useful tool out of it. After all, that’s what he did with Paul’s thorn in the flesh."- Warren Wiersbe

Know and Embrace the Truth of The Gospel

2011-09-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

"All knowledge of godliness consists in this-knowing and embracing the truth of the gospel, that I am accepted by God not because of what I do, but because of what Christ has done for me. Until the sin removing, curse cancelling power of Christ's death is understood and embraced, we will make no true progress in actually conquering sin and growing in grace." -Brian G. Hedges from Christ Formed in You (The Power of the Gospel for Personal Change)

God Is The Gospel

2011-09-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

"Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel." John Piper from God is The Gospel

Why Theology Matters

2011-08-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Joshua Harris book Dug Down Deep is a great book whether you've been a Christian for a short time or for a lengthy amount of time. I love that they have released yet another of Josh's books in a paperback format. Here's a great video that sums up the book pretty well.

Why Church Matters (formerly, Stop Dating The Church)

2011-08-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

This book was originally released in a hardcover entitled, "Stop Dating the Church" being a lover of paperbacks, I found this to be a welcomed release. Not much different here, except for some discussion questions that make this a great resource for small group discussion or for personal study. This book is a great reminder that we are to be fully committed to the body of Christ, it's not just a casual "hook-up" or fling, it's a full on commitment, one that calls us to die to ourselves and to our own wants and desires, it's all consuming. Each chapter is relatively short but packed full of great content. Take for instance the chapter on Why we Need the Local Church, "Another part of the Christian life that flourishes in community is worship. Again, this is something we can also enjoy by ourselves. We can worship anytime, anywhere, and in complete solitude. But something unique and irreplaceable happens when we worship together." What a great reminder that it's for our benefit really to gather as a collective group of believers and lift up the name of Jesus together. We gain so much from being a part of the local church. In this culture of instant gratification and low commitment levels, especially within the church. This book by Joshua Harris is a much needed wake up call and reminder that we truly need the church and we truly need to take a look at our hearts and our level of commitment to the local church. Why Church Matters would be a great book to pick up to read and re- read on a regular basis, as a reminder of just who and whose we are as believers.

Christ Is My World

2011-08-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

“I had been ‘going at it’ one Sunday evening about living your whole life in Christ and for Christ, and one chap, because he thought that I must live my life on my knees, came to me, wringing his hands, because he was not being as holy as he thought he ought to be. I said to him, ‘You foolish boy, do you think this means winding yourself up into a kind of robot existence, forever clicking your heels before a ruthless sergeant-major Christ? You have got it all wrong. Christ is a world of being, not a set of rules. You live your life in him, you are naughty in him, alas, as well as good in him. You have fun there as well as seriousness. You must learn that Christ is no mere censor, but a Savior who saves us by gaining our trust and confidence more and more, and letting us live our total life in him. He is much more concerned about where we are going than about how far on we have got.’”

Rev. William Still, The Work of the Pastor (Carlisle, 1996), page 38.

God Will Do It!

2011-05-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

“God comes and offers to work this absolute surrender in you. All these searchings and hungerings and longings that are in your heart, I tell you, they are the drawings of the divine magnet, Christ Jesus. He lived a life of absolute surrender. He has possession of you; He is living in your heart by His Holy Spirit.

“You have hindered and hindered Him terribly, but He desires to help you to get a hold of Him entirely. And He comes and draws you now by His message and words. Will you not come and trust God to work in you that absolute surrender to Himself? Yes, blessed be God! He can do it, and He will do it.”-Andrew Murray from Absolute Surrender

What a Hope!

2011-05-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

“The death of Jesus offers hope to those who are overcome with guilt and conviction by offering cleansing and acceptance. Though we are sinners, God will not count our sins against us. He receives us because Jesus has died and put away our sins and reconciled us to God, who now, and forever, relates to us as a father relates to his son, and nothing can separate us from his love. Here the broken find hope, for in Christ we are cleansed.” - Joe Thorn

The Greener Grass Conspiracy

2011-04-17T16:00:00.001-07:00

I just finished the latest book by Stephen Altrogge, The Greener Grass Conspiracy. In addition to author, Stephen can add soul surgeon to his list of accomplishments! What I found inside the pages of this work by Altrogge was truly convicting at times and found my sin being exposed a number of times. The Greener Grass Conspiracy (TGGC for short!) is all about contentment, not only in the blessings that God bestows on us but also in the midst of the various trials that we find ourselves in (James 1:2). Stephen gives great examples from the past, many great quotes from The Puritans like this one from Thomas Watson; "Whatever our condition is, God, the great Umpire of the world, has decreed that condition for us, and by His providence has ordered all the things that go along with it. Let a Christian often think to himself, "Who has placed me here, whether I am in a higher sphere or in a lower? Not chance or fortune, as the totally blind heathens imagined; no it is the wise God who has, by His providence, fixed me in this orb."

Stephen goes on to say, "Our current condition, season, and circumstances have all been ordained by God, "the great Umpire of the world." We don't experience a breeze or a backache that hasn't first been ordained by God for our good and His glory. In light of this, we must learn to be content in God's will, whatever that will may be. We must learn to sing with the classic hymn: Whate'er my God ordains is right;

Here shall my stand be taken;

Though sorrow, need or death be mine,

Yet I am not forsaken.

My Father's care is around me there;

He holds me that I shall not fall,

And so to Him I leave it all. - Samuel Rodigast 1676

What a worship inspiring thought! Every circumstance that we find ourselves in is totally by God's sovereign hand! No matter what that circumstance may be, unemployment, loss of a spouse or loss of your health, children who are not following the Lord..no matter where we find ourselves we can rest assured, if we are Christians, God has us exactly where He wants us!

Once we learn to be content in our circumstances, we can also be sure that nothing can touch that contentment, Stephen says; "Rather contentment is inward, untouchable by circumstances, out of reach of trouble. It can't be stolen away by sickness or poverty, can't be ruined by the loss of a job or house or spouse. Biblical contentment is not rooted in circumstances but in the infinitely stronger foundation of God Himself."

I really needed that sentence! Having found myself in many a difficult situation, these words were like a refreshing breeze in an arid space.

One of the verses that shows up quite frequently and appropriately throughout this book is Romans 8:28, often a misquoted and seemingly cliche response to trials, Altrogge sheds great light on this; "Often we treat God like some sort of divine dentist. We know, at least in theory, that He is good and that all He does is good. We know from Romans 8:28 that God works all things for the good of those who love Him. But when life starts to get rough, we adopt a "grin and bear it" attitude. We know that somehow God will work everything for good, but in the meantime we're going to climb into our bunker and prepare for whatever bombs God is going to drop. This is not biblical, God honoring contentment."

So many times I have found myself kicking and screaming against the will of God, thinking that I know best for my life instead of the One who holds the universe in His hands and by His grace has placed me where He has placed me. This theme runs throughout TGGC, that we are better off than we deserve, "God owes us nothing except justice. The fires of hell would be the right destination for ungrateful, arrogant rebels like us. We've been disobedient, rebellious, hard hearted people. We don't deserve relaxation or a nice house or hot showers or a monthly paycheck. What we deserve is hell." Stephen goes on to say, "But the beauty of the gospel is that we get what we don't deserve. Instead of justice, we receive mercy; instead of wrath, grace. God has forgiven us, adopted us, clothed us in righteousness, given us the Holy Spirit, and promised to hunt us down with mercy. (Psalm 23:6)

What a vivid picture of the Gospel! and that is what I absolutely love about this book, throughout the entire book the glorious thread of the Good News is sewn. I don't think that there was a time that I wasn't thinking about the fact that I am indeed much better than I deserve and that Jesus has taken care of my greatest problem, that being my sin and has given me His righteousness!

I really needed this book and it was definitely God's providential hand that provided this work to me. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a relatively quick read but I imagine I will be revisiting the pages of this book often, especially when I need a reminder of all of the blessings that God has bestowed on me.

If you find yourself struggling with discontentment or complaining, you really owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of The Greener Grass Conspiracy, it will feed your soul greatly!

The Enemy Is Within

2011-03-12T19:14:00.001-08:00

"Wake up, therefore, all of you in whose hearts is anything of the ways of God! Your enemy is not only upon you, as in the case of Samson of old (Judges 16) but is actually in you. He is at work by every kind of force and cunnings as we shall see.

If you desire not to dishonor God and His gospel, not to scandalize the saints and disgrace the ways of God, not to wound your consciences and endanger your souls, not to grieve the good and holy Spirit of God, the author of all your comforts, but rather to keep your garments undefiled, to escape the wretched temptations and pollutions of the days in which we live, to be preserved from adding to the number of apostates in these latter days-rouse yourselves to a right estimation of this cursed enemy, the source of all these and innumerable other evils, and also of the ruin of all the souls that perish in this world!"

John Owen from Indwelling Sin In Believers

God Is With Us

2011-03-12T14:24:00.000-08:00

In light of the recent events in Japan, it has really provoked my thoughts towards God and His sovereignty. God is with us. There is no need to fear, even though the world seems to be in a chaotic frenzy, rest assured God is in control and He knows what He is doing.

In 1 Samuel we see the Lord commanding David to be commander over His people. 1 Samuel 13:14, it's where God is choosing David to rule over His people because of Saul's disobedience. God had a plan, and He has a plan for us as well. We may not be able to see it right now and we may have to wait a long time to see the plan come to fruition, and that may mean we won't know until we are in eternity. But we may rest assured that God is indeed in control and He has a plan for us, God works in behalf of those who wait on Him and He never disappoints.

When fear starts to set in, Psalm 56:3 says that we can trust in God. Again, He does not disappoint but He is trustworthy and able to deliver. Fear has no place in our lives as Christians, even though the waves both literally and figuratively seem to be getting larger and the winds begin to pick up again in our lives, know that we can trust the One who will still the storms and bring us out into the clearing. What a great God that we serve and that we can trust wholeheartedly! God is infinite yet personal, majestic yet He condescends to meet us where we are. May we bring all of our fears and our cares before the Sovereign One, He is more than able to take care of us no matter what!

Saving Faith

2011-03-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

"Faith, realizing we are nothing but sin and wretchedness, comes unto Chirst as an empty handed beggar to receive all from Him. Faith empties a man of self conceit, self confidence, and self righteousness, and makes him seem nothing, that Christ may be all in all. The strongest faith is always accompanied by the greatest humility, accounting self the greatest of sinners and unworthy of the least favour (see Matt. 8:8-10)" - A.W. Pink

God Is Constant

2011-03-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

"In Hebrew the word for 'faithfulness' has the same root as the word 'Amen'. So when we say 'Amen' to something, we are saying, 'That is true. It is a faithful saying. In light of this, it is interesting that in Revelation, when the Lord Jesus Christ is being spoken of, he is introduced as 'the Amen, the faithful and true witness' (Rev. 3:14) This is his essence, in other words. Faithfulness is God's nature. Time does not change Him, as it changes us, Nor do moods change God as they change us.

You know how it is with people. At work someone will say, 'How are we going to find the boss today? What sort of weekend will he have had? Has he had a difficult time with his family? If so, is it going to make it difficult for us. I wonder if he will be the same as he was on Friday? One of the problems we have is that we imagine God being like the people we see around us-fluctuating, different, changed by moods, health, stress and provocation. But Psalm 102:27 says, 'You remain the same.' All else may change, but God is constant."

The Gospel Is A Message About Sin

2011-03-09T20:55:00.000-08:00

"The gospel tells us how we have fallen short of God's standard, how we have become guilty, filthy, and helpless in sin, and now stand under the wrath of God. It tells us that the reason why we sin continually is that we are sinners by nature, and that nothing we do or try to do for ourselves can put us right or bring us back into God's favor. It shows us ourselves as God sees us and teaches us to think of ourselves as God thinks of us. Thus, it leads us to self-despair. And this also is a necessary step. Not until we have learned our need to get right with God and our inability to do so by any effort of our own can we come to know the Christ who saves from sin."

J.I. Packer

25th Aniversary of Desiring God

2011-02-12T08:22:00.001-08:00

The Christian Faith

2011-01-28T16:32:00.001-08:00

Michael Horton has released his magnum opus, The Christian Faith. I am anxiously awaiting my copy, should be here late Feburary as the publisher and wtsbooks.com are fresh out...should be worth the wait!

Knowing God

2010-11-28T17:45:00.000-08:00

I have been contemplating the fact of knowing God lately, not that it's a new thought but it's one that has consumed me here as of late. It has brought to mind thoughts of J.I. Packer's masterful work "Knowing God" a book that if you haven't read, you really need to pick it up and take a swim in the deep end of the pool, it is probably one of the most formative books that I have read regarding the knowledge of God.

Psalm 103:7 says that "He made known His ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel." I want to be like Moses and the people of Israel, and not just know what it is that God does, I am not content with just knowing His acts but I long to know His ways. In other words I want to truly experience God and not just have a head full of knowledge about Him.

The great thing about getting to know God is that as Romans 11:33 says "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and how inscrutable His ways!" I will never exhaust the knowledge of who God is, even in eternity there will be no end to discovering who this awesome God is and experiencing Him fully and wonderfully.

It's when the seeking out of who He is and what He has done for us through Christ that the growth in my Christian life stops, Hosea 4:6 says that 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you...' God wants us to know Him, He has done everything in initiating a relationship with us. I believe that it's through His word and through great doctrinally sound books that God speaks to us through His Holy Spirit.

Don't just take my word for it, seek Him out for yourself and ask Him to open your eyes to see and to know more of who He is. And if you don't have that desire, ask Him for that as well. He wants us to know the taste of just how good He truly is!

Life With God Not Living For God

2010-10-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Skye Jethani gives a good word in this video clip. In our performance driven way of living 'for' God we have missed the enjoyment of living life 'with' God. Watch this and be encouraged!

Humility

2010-09-13T18:20:00.001-07:00

Our church is reading the book Humility by CJ Mahaney, it's a small book chock full of great gospel centered content. This is a great interview between CJ and James MacDonald giving some examples of what humility looks like and what it is not.
Humility is a book that is already a classic and hopefully will be read by the coming generations of believers.

Goodnight

2010-09-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

Matthew Smith is one of my favorite new artists, he is such a talented singer/songwriter. I love his newest project "Watch The Rising Day"
Here Matthew gives some insight into Goodnight, an amazing song regarding dying well. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "Watch The Rising Day" by this incredibly talented artist.

God and God Alone!

2010-08-31T04:39:00.000-07:00

In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is on its beam-ends, and no human deliverance can avail, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone! There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends; but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his Father’s arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! When he is burdened with troubles so pressing and so peculiar, that he cannot tell them to any but his God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his Lord then than at any other time. Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives thee to thy Father! Now that thou hast only thy God to trust to, see that thou puttest thy full confidence in him. Dishonour not thy Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee. Show rich men how rich thou art in thy poverty when the Lord God is thy helper. Show the strong man how strong thou art in thy weakness when underneath thee are the everlasting arms. Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as he built the heavens and the earth, glorify himself in thy weakness, and magnify his might in the midst of thy distress. The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye. May the Holy Spirit give you to rest in Jesus this closing day of the month.

Grace-Who Needs It?

2010-08-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love Jerry Bridges, his practical way of communicating the gospel has impacted my life tremendously. I recently read Transforming Grace, a great read and one that would benefit you greatly in your relationship with the Lord.

Each chapter is filled with the gospel and how to apply it to your life. The one chapter that I really enjoyed was, Grace-Who Needs It? (I do desperately!!) In this chapter Jerry shows a biblical view of God's grace towards us and how we view it more as a system of currency, we do good things then God will be favorable towards us, we do bad and we experience God's displeasure. Mr. Bridges does an excellent job of dismantling that fallacy by quoting Isaiah 55:1. We come as bankrupt and empty sinners to the fountain of living water and receive a bounty of sustenance; " The gospel is addressed to those who have no money or good works." He points out very nicely that this verse is addressed to those who have no money not to those who do not have enough.

The chapter ends with a quote from Abraham Booth;

"For divine grace disdains to be assisted in the performance of that work which peculiarly belongs to itself, by the poor, imperfect performances of men. Attempts to complete what grace begins, betray our pride and offend the Lord, but cannot promote our spiritual interest. Let the reader therefore, carefully remember that grace is either absolutely free, or it is not at all, and that he who professes to look for salvation by grace, either believes in his heart to be saved entirely by it, or he acts inconsistently in affairs of the greatest importance."

If you long to grow in your relationship with the Lord, pick up a copy of Transforming Grace. While you're at it get The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges as well, both books will benefit your soul greatly.

Thy Blood Was Shed For Me

2010-08-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

I've Been enjoying Matthew's Smith's music for some time now, this is one of my favorites.

Do I Wear The Marks

2010-07-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about assurance lately, assurance of my salvation in particular. This devotional from James MacDonald sums it up pretty well.

Do I Wear The Marks?

1 John 5:13-15 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Are you a Christian? How do you know?
You’re not a Christian because you say you are anymore than you’re in Cincinnati because you know how to get there. Being a Christian is not about knowing how to become a Christian; it’s about knowing you are one.
If you don’t have a mane; if you don’t have sharp teeth; if you don’t have a long tail—you’re not a lion no matter what you say.
If you don’t have tires; if you don’t have a motor; and if you don’t have a steering wheel—you’re not a car no matter what you say.
If you can’t carry a tune; and if you can’t hit a note; and if your singing doesn’t bless people—stick to the shower, because you’re not a soloist no matter what you say.
In the same sense, Christians have fruit; they have characteristics; they have evidence; they have identifying marks.
John said in 1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” You can have the assurance that you’re saved. You don’t have to wonder—just ask yourself, “Do I have the identifying marks?”
The book of 1 John repeatedly explains the distinguishing characteristics of followers of Christ. No one has them perfectly, but look at your life and ask yourself if you’re increasing in these marks:
- Am I loving more deeply? Not perfectly, but increasingly . . .
- Am I obeying more faithfully? Not perfectly, but increasingly . . .
- Am I living authentically?
The Christian life is not a charade. I’m not wearing a mask. I’m not acting like I’m something I’m not. My heart is very tender to the Lord and He’s growing me. That’s part of being a real Christian.
When you see these marks in your life, and you know that you long to know Him more and be passionate about doing what pleases Him increasingly more in your life, then your heart swells with assurance. You belong to Him.

The Prosperity Gospel is Crap

2010-05-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

We are going through 2 Peter in our small group, this week we'll be in chapter two where Peter adddresses the false teaching that was infiltrating the church. I thought that this video from John Piper was appropriate, especially the crap part!

The Cup of Christ

2010-04-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this message by CJ Mahaney. What a humbling message, I am so thankful for the work that Jesus accomplished for me in absorbing the wrath of God that should have been directed toward me.

I Am a Legalist

2010-04-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

This was a very relevant article from the folks over at Sovereign Grace. You can download a free copy of the e-book here http://www.thisisnext.org/webzine/#article3

Two enemies of the cross, why they’re dangerous, and how to beat them
The doctrine of justification needs to be constantly reinforced and reviewed, as Martin Luther was well aware. His typically blunt advice? “Beat it into their heads continually.” We need to be applying and appreciating the truth of justification in our lives on a daily basis. If we don’t, we will find ourselves susceptible to one of the Church’s most subtle and serious enemies: legalism.
Legalism involves seeking to earn God’s acceptance through our own obedience. We only have two options: either receive righteousness as a God-given gift or try to generate our own. Legalism is the attempt to be justified through some source other than Jesus Christ and his finished work.
To adhere to legalism is to believe that the Cross was either unnecessary or insufficient (Gal 2:21, 5:2). That is an accurate interpretation of your motive and actions, even if you still ascribe mentally to the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice. In our legitimate pursuit of obedience and maturity legalism slowly and subtly overtakes us, and we begin to substitute our works for his finished work. The result is either arrogance or condemnation. Instead of growing in grace we abandon grace. That was Paul’s assessment of the Galatian church when he wrote, “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal 5:4).
If you’ve ever attempted to live this way you may have learned by now that legalism is as futile as it is frustrating. Every legalistic attempt at righteousness inevitably ends in failure. Over the years I’ve learned to recognize some unmistakable signs of the presence of legalism. Here are a few of them:
_You are more aware of your past sin than of the person and finished work of Christ.
_You live thinking, believing, and feeling that God is disappointed with you rather than delighting in you.
_You assume God’s acceptance depends on your obedience.
_You lack joy. (This is often the first indication of the presence of legalism. Condemnation is the result of pondering our deficiency; joy is the result of considering his sufficiency.)
Have you been ensnared by the subtle presence of legalism? If so, beware. It tends to spread rather than remain restricted (Gal 5:9). Legalism must be removed.
The only effective way to uproot legalism is with the doctrine of justification. If you’ve neglected or ignored this doctrine, then take whatever dramatic action is necessary to change. Set aside time each day to review, rehearse, and rejoice in this great, objective, positional truth. Restrict your spiritual diet to the study of justification until you are certain of God’s acceptance, secure in his love, and free from legalism and condemnation.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the single most decisive event in history. Accurately has Sinclair Ferguson stated the following:
The Cross is the heart of the gospel. It makes the gospel good news: Christ died for us. He has stood in our place before God’s judgment seat. He has borne our sins. God has done something on the Cross we could never do for ourselves…The reason we lack assurance of his grace is because we fail to focus on that spot where he has revealed it.
Where will you focus your attention? Will it be on past sin, your present emotional state, or areas of character in which you still need to grow? Or will you focus on the finished work of Christ? Legalism need not motivate you. Condemnation need not torment you. God has justified you

You Are The Treasure That I Seek

2010-04-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Greg Dutcher has written an excellent book on the topic of idolatry. I definitely needed to hear what he had to say in this book, if you are struggling or if you don't think that you have a problem with idolatry, you definitely need to read this book.

The forward by John Frame gives a clear indication as to where Dutcher will be taking us, "When God tells us not to worship idols, He's not talking only about idols made of stone or wood." Idolatry is so subtle and subversive that it never comes in obvious ways. We have certain ideas and pictures of idols, wooden fertility statues or golden figures that take their places in temples and huts. All the while we have so many varying idols, some of our own making. Be it television or our precious ipods, maybe the newest gadget that we just have to have before our colleagues get their undeserving hands on them. Any way we look at it we constantly try to place things in the place that Jesus deserves to be.

Dutcher does a great job of unpacking the various forms that idolatry takes and also has a series of questions at the end of each chapter that helps tremendously to put the information into practical use.

There are so many great nuggets in this small but meaty book, one of my favorites is from the chapter The Stealthy Hunter, where Dutcher gives a great example from the Israelites in the desert. "Once upon a time the Jews were enslaved to a "god" who gave them something-three hots and a cot-in return for their bondage. The true God, however, crushed the one who had enslaved them and gave the Israelites all they ever really needed-himself." What a great thought, the Israelites much like us looked to their former god or god's to satisfy what only the true and living God could satisfy! We exchange our treasure for trinkets, rusty and filthy trinkets.

This is probably one of the best books about idolatry that I have read, it's a very honest and even humorous look at just how unfaithful we can truly be. Pick up a copy of Greg Dutcher's You Are The Treasure That I Seek 'but there's a lot of cool stuff out there, Lord' I can hear your idols shaking now!

A Prayer About Knowing the Will of God

2010-03-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

Scotty Smith posted this great prayer over at his blog "Heavenward." I thought that it was definitely worth sharing.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Dear heavenly Father, the peace, humility and joy this promise brings to my heart is simply immeasurable. You are the God who is vitally engaged in determining and directing my very steps in life. You are the God who is working all things together after the counsel of your will. You are the God who works in all things for your glory and for our good. You are the God who opens doors no man can shut and who shuts doors no man can open. Indeed, you are no mere life coach, loving Father, you are the Lord of all things, including me.

For way too many years I labored under the arrogance and anxiety of assuming that if I prayed hard enough and long enough… that if I was really filled with and “tuned” into the Holy Spirit, I could know the specifics of your will for my life well in advance of any decision that needed to be made. Of course, my assumption was that if I was in your will, life would be enjoyable, pleasant and hassle-free.

If I bought the right car, it would never break down. If I bought the right house, the roof would never leak. If I married the right person, we would never disagree. If I went to the right college I’d get the right job and life would be all-right. If I sent my kids to the right school, they would never act out and would end up on the mission field. What a self-centered and wrong way to do life… kind of reminds me of idolatry…

Father, I will continue to seek to make good plans in my heart, according to the revelation of your Word, for I can be confident that you will never lead me contrary to the Scriptures. I will continue to seek out and heed the wise and prayerful counsel of godly friends, who care about your glory and kingdom.

But I live with even more peace, humility and joy… confidant that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and not just a consulting partner… a very present Lord, not an absentee landlord… the reigning King, not in impotent bystander. Because of Jesus, I am confident that your will WILL be done on earth as it is in heaven. So very Amen, I pray, in his sovereign and to-be-savored name.

What Is The Gospel?

2010-03-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to seeing Greg Gilbert speak at this year's Together For The Gospel, also looking forward to checking out his book as well.

There Is Healing in His Wings

2010-03-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

"Every weeping Christ seeker shall be a rejoicing Christ finder; For the Lord has not said to the seeking seed of Jacob, 'seek ye my face in vain.' Pray on, and watch on, until Jesus manifests Himself to your soul, and the Sun of righteousness has risen upon you with healing in His wings."

Octavius Winslow from Soul Depths Soul Heights

7 Miles by Matt Chandler

2010-02-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

I love Matt Chandler of the Village Church. This is a Sermon Jam regarding Jesus 7 mile walk to Emmaus.

You Can't Do It Alone!

2010-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

I've been enjoying "Broken Down House" by Paul David Tripp. As usual from Mr. Tripp, this book is full of honesty and practical ways of applying what you read. For example, this evening I came across this gem of a chapter entitled; Pursue Community. In this chapter we see that we must live out our identity as sinner and at the same time a child of grace. Mr. Tripp goes on to expound on this with the following; "In this fallen world, where falsehood wars against truth and reality battles with delusion, it is hard to remember who I am. When I look into the perfect mirror of the Word of God I see myself acurately and am confronted with my true identity; sinner, yet child of grace. But there are other, less reliable mirrors I look into as well.
Sometimes I see myself in the carnival mirror of culture and it's twisted image of what a successful human being looks like. Sometimes I see myself in the distorted mirror of my own self righteousness, portraying me as more godly and mature than I actually am. Sometimes I see myself in the crazy funhouse mirror, which is the overly positive appraisal of well intentioned friends. Sometimes I see myself in the cracked mirror of daily home life, where what God emphasizes as important is not always practiced. Each of these mirrors offers a representation of me, but with crucial and unbiblical distortions that can drive me to make unbiblical, sinful, harmful decisions.
So, with the tendency to identity distortion within and the danger of it without, I need help remebering who I really am. If I receive that help, I can live with a more cogent awareness of sin and grace, with radically different results than if I seek to live this inherently communitarian life on my own."
Oh how I need community, not in the buzz word sense of that word but true honest soul baring correction giving community, where I am constantly reminded of how great a sinner I am and yet loved beyond all measure because in true community there is a knowing that we are all in the same leaky ship on our own and we all desperately need the Savior, and we all constantly need to be reminded of who we are as sinners yet children of grace.
Do yourself a favor and pick up "Broken Down House" by Paul David Tripp, your soul will benefit greatly from it.

Rejoice

2010-02-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that rejoicing is the last thing I want to do when going through trials and difficulties. Today's Streams in The Desert was very appropriate and spoke volumes to me, thought that I'd share and hopefully be of some encouragement wherever you find yourself today.

Rejoice Evermore

"And again I say, Rejoice" (Phil. 4:4).

It is a good thing to rejoice in the Lord. Perhaps you have tried this, and the first time seemed to fail. Never mind, keep right on and when you cannot feel any joy, when there is no spring, and no seeming comfort and encouragement, still rejoice, and count it all joy. Even when you fall into divers temptations, reckon it joy and delight and God will make your reckoning good. Do you suppose your Father will let you carry the banner of His victory and His gladness on to the front of the battle, and then coolly stand back and see you captured or beaten back by the enemy? NEVER! The Holy Spirit will sustain you in your bold advance, and fill your heart with gladness and praise, and you will find your heart all exhilarated and refreshed by the fullness within. Lord teach me to rejoice in Thee, and to "rejoice evermore." --Selected

"The weakest saint may Satan rout,
Who meets him with a praiseful shout."

"Be filled with the Spirit...singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph. 5:18-19).

Here the Apostle urges the use of singing as one of the inspiring helps in the spiritual life. He counsels his readers not to seek their stimulus through the body, but through the spirit; not by the quickening of the flesh, but by the exaltation of the soul.

"Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings."

Let us sing even when we do not feel like it, for thus we may give wings to leaden feet and turn weariness into strength. --J. H. Jowett

"At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them" (Acts 16:25).

Oh, Paul, thou wondrous example to the flock, who could thus glory, bearing in the body as thou didst "the marks of the Lord Jesus"! Marks from stoning almost to the death, from thrice beating with rods, from those hundred and ninety-five stripes laid on thee by the Jews, and from stripes received in that Philippian jail, which had they not drawn blood would not have called for washing! Surely the grace which enabled thee to sing praises under such suffering is all-sufficient grace. --J. Roach

"Oh, let us rejoice in the Lord, evermore,
When darts of the tempter are flying,
For Satan still dreads, as he oft did of yore,
Our singing much more than our sighing."

Who Am I

2010-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

Who am I? They often tell me

I stepped from my cell’s confinement

Calmly, cheerfully, firmly,

Like a squire from his country-house.

Who am I? They often tell me

I used to speak to my warders

Freely and friendly and clearly,

As though it were mine to command.

Who am I? They also tell me

I bore the days of misfortune

Equally, smilingly, proudly,

Like one accustomed to win.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of?

Or am I only what I myself know of myself?

Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,

Struggling for breath, as though hands were

compressing my throat,

Yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds,

Thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness,

Tossing in expectation of great events,

Powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,

Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,

Faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?

Who am I? This or the other?

Am I one person today and tomorrow another?

Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,

And before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?

Or is something within me still like a beaten army,

Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.

Whoever I am, Thou knowest, 0 God, I am Thine! - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

March 4,1946

What Really Matters in Marriage

2010-02-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

Three years ago today this sinner said "I do" to a beautiful and wonderful woman, I thought that this video about a great gospel centered book on marriage, "When Sinners Say I Do" by Dave Harvey was appropriate. If you want a book that will show you how to live out the gospel with the one you love, do yourself a favor and pick up this great work by Mr. Harvey.

O How I Need Christ

2010-02-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

Let us know, therefore, that it is dangerous to look for that from ourselves which we must have from Christ. Since the fall, all our strength lies in him, as Samson's in his hair (Judg. 16:17). We are but subordinate agents, moving as we are moved, and working as we are first wrought upon, free in so far as we are freed, no wiser nor stronger than he makes us to be for the present in anything we undertake. It is his Spirit who actuates and enlivens, and applies that knowledge and strength we have, or else it fails and lies useless in us. We work when we work from a present strength; therefore dependent spirits are the wisest and the ablest. Nothing is stronger than humility, which goes out of itself, or weaker than pride, which rests on its own foundation. Frustra nititur qui non innititur (He strives in vain who is not dependent). And this should be particularly observed because naturally we aspire to a kind of divinity, in setting about actions in the strength of our own abilities; whereas Christ says, `Without me ye', the apostles, who were in a state of grace, `can do nothing' (John 15:5). He does not say, you can do a little, but nothing. Of ourselves, how easily are we overcome! How weak we are to resist! We are as reeds shaken with every wind. We shake at the very noise and thought of poverty, disgrace or losses. We give in immediately. We have no power over our eyes, tongues, thoughts or affections, but let sin pass in and out. How soon we are overcome by evil, whereas we should overcome evil with good. How many good purposes stick in the birth, and have no strength to come forth all which shows that we are nothing without the Spirit of Christ. We see how weak the apostles themselves were, till they were endued with strength from above. Peter was blasted with the speech of a damsel (Matt. 20:69), but after the Spirit of Christ fell upon them, the more they suffered, the more they were encouraged to suffer. Their comforts grew with their troubles. Therefore in all, especially difficult encounters, let us lift up our hearts to Christ, who has Spirit enough for us all, in all our exigencies, and say with good Jehoshaphat, `We have no might . . . neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee' (2 Chron. 20:12); the battle we fight is thine, and the strength whereby we fight must be thine. If thou goest not out with us, we are sure to be foiled. Satan knows that nothing can prevail against Christ, or those that rely upon his power. Therefore his study is how to keep us in ourselves, and in the creature. But we must carry this always in our minds, that that which is begun in self confidence ends in shame. -Richard Sibbes from The Bruised Reed

A Sweet and Bitter Providence

2010-01-06T20:38:00.001-08:00

John Piper has just released his newest work A Sweet and Bitter Providence. If you find yourself questioning the hard places that you find yourself in and your circumstances are less than ideal, let John Piper walk you through a study of God's sovereignty and providence, I'm looking forward to that walk!

God Is My Father

2010-01-01T08:21:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Another new beginning awaits, new calanders to be filled up and new chapters to unfold! Hope that your New Years celebration has been good.

I have been thinking a lot about the Fatherhood of God lately, how it affects me and my relationship to Him. I am fully aware of my sinfulness and how undeserved this love is towards me and yet He has chosen to adopt me in His grace and through His Son Jesus! When I think about the whole doctrine of adoption it truly boggels my mind, just the lengths that God has gone through in initiating a relationship with me. Ephesians 1:5 tells me that this relationship was in place even before I was ever a thought! that it happened according to God's will and His doing! I have absolutely nothing to do with it.

We have such a dysfunctional view of Fatherhood and it totally affects our view of God as our Father, there is such emotional fallout from all of the abuse and neglect that a lot of us experienced as children growing up in a fallen world and this time of year always makes me think about my father. He passed away on December 20th 1984 and my mother and I buried him on December 24th of that same year, I was 14. The absence of my Dad left a huge hole in my life and even in the loss and the grief, God's hand was upon my life and in that dark place my true Father had already adopted me as His son! God's gift of adoption is an act of His grace and nothing I can do or have done can affect that, it is a legal declaration!

I long to know God as my Father even more and I want this year to be a year of gaining a better understanding of who He is and gaining even more of an understanding of this amazing love that He has lavished on me through the giving of His Son. If you find yourself in a place of sadness and loss or if you struggle with seeing God as your Father, dwell on the docrtine of adoption. Read great books on the subject, Knowing God by J.I. Packer chapter 19 is a great place to start as well as God Our Father by John Koessler. Galatians 4:1-7 is a wonderful chapter to study, memorize and apply to your life, God is very eager to reveal Himself to you as Father and as J.I. Packer has said, "Father is the Christian name for God."

God Our Father

2009-12-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

"If You want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all. For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. "Father" is the Christian name for God." pg. 201 of Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Never Forget The Gospel

2009-12-14T19:34:00.000-08:00

"To grow in your passion for what Jesus has done, increase your understanding of what He has done.

Never be content with your grasp of the gospel. The gospel is life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. It has more facets than any diamond. Its depths man will never exhaust."
— C.J. Mahaney (The Cross Centered Life; Keeping The Gospel The Main Thing)

JC Ryle Commentary giveaway!

2009-11-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

Erik Kowalker, who does a great job of encouraging me daily has posted a contest to win a complete set of JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts On The Gospels. You can check it out at the following link, while you're at it check out Erik's site dedicated to quotes by JC Ryle, he does a great job.....(and I'm not just saying that because I want to win the commentaries!)

http://jcrylequotes.com/2009/11/22/win-a-free-j-c-ryle-commentary-set/

Gratitiude

2009-11-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! The year has literally flown by, so much has happened in this past year. Some good some bad and some in between, but through it all God is so faithful. He has never left me nor has He forsaken me, I truly have a lot to be grateful for. That being said, my sinful heart battles against being grateful. My circumstances may not be what I would have envisioned for my life and all of the trials that I have endured for the last year would probably not have been my first choice, but I know that God is so much bigger than what I go through and He is faithful to the very end. (Philippians 1:6)

I have to preach the gospel to myself daily and I have to remind myself constantly how good God has been to me. I liked what James MacDonald had to say on the subject of gratitude;

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a freind. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

I have so much to be grateful for, the fact that I am an adopted child of God and that He has rescued me from Hell itself and has paid in full the price of my sin through His Son Jesus and I am a co-heir with Christ. Those thoughts alone should inspire great shouts of thanks and praise to the One who is totally worthy!

Humble Thoughts of Yourself

2009-11-25T20:52:00.000-08:00

This is an excerpt from The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a' Kempis, I needed to read this today.

Having A Humble Opinion of Self

EVERY man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars. He who knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by men.

If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit me before God Who will judge me by my deeds?

Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.

Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God.

The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more learned, more cultured than you?

If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.

For My Good

2009-11-16T18:05:00.001-08:00

This is a much needed reminder from James MacDonald, thanks James!

For My Good

"It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons." - Hebrews 12:7 - 8

I would have been a better behaved kid if I could have been a parent first.

Kids just don't understand what parents try to do for them. If you're a parent, don't you wish that your kids could see that every action that you take towards them, even imperfectly, is out of love? But they don't always get that.

When I was an adolescent, I remember thinking my parents were so confused. Then I grew up and, as Mark Twain mused, I was amazed at how much they had learned.

I thought it was hard when I had to discipline my kids when they were young. Little kids are a quite a handful. When your kids get older and you must let them experience the consequences of their choices, they become quite a "heartful." Especially when you can't step in and keep the pain from happening. You have to watch them suffer the cost of their decisions. For sure, "heartful" is harder than handful.

How is it with you today? Are you in a difficult circumstance as a discipline from your loving Father? Do you feel His sadness that it had to come to this in order for you to learn? I don't want to get older and still be an adolescent Christian. I want to grow up in the Lord and trust my heavenly Father even when I don't understand what He's doing. I want to believe that the Lord is way smarter than me. He gets it. His discipline is for my good.

Hebrews 12:7-8 tells the good but hard truth: “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” Your Father loves you. Everything He allows is for your growth and good. He sees the long picture, even when you can’t. I wonder how I make God’s heart sad when I don’t understand that He lovingly draws near to me even in times of learning (See Psalm 34:18).

If God Is Good

2009-11-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

Randy Alcorn's new book is available now, it's a very relevant topic and would be a great work to add to your library.

Praise Him

2009-11-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

I WILL PRAISE HIM!

Margaret J. Harris, 19th century

To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father—to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:5b–6)

An attitude of happiness in life is a matter of our will. Abraham Lincoln once stated that "most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be." Closely related to a Christian’s happiness is the determination to live a life of praise to God. The goal of every believer should be the overflowing of praise, regardless of the circumstances. Knowing God in Christ is the most compelling reason to have such a life. Each day is a new opportunity for offering a praise sacrifice to God. Instead of dwelling on the negatives of our lives, we should seek fresh reasons daily for praising our Lord.

Praise is our highest spiritual exercise. There is more said in the Scriptures about our praise life than even our times of prayer. In prayer it is possible to approach God out of selfish motives; in praise, we worship Him for what He is Himself. Praise is also an encouragement to our fellowmen—"the afflicted hear and rejoice" (Psalm 34:2). Weak hearts will be strengthened and trembling saints revived when they hear our testimonies of praise.

One of the most important times to sing praise to God is when we feel imprisoned by the circumstances of life. Like the experience of Paul and Silas in the Roman prison (Acts 16:24, 25), it is often uncanny how prayer and praise open the doors of our lives to new dimensions of opportunity and spiritual power.

When I saw the cleansing fountain, open wide for all my sin, I obeyed the Spirit’s wooing when He said, "Wilt thou be clean?"

Tho the way seemed straight and narrow, all I claimed was swept away; my ambitions, plans and wishes at my feet in ashes lay.

Then God’s fire upon the altar of my heart was set aflame: I shall never cease to praise Him—Glory, glory to His name!

Blessed be the name of Jesus! I’m so glad He took me in: He’s forgiven my transgressions; He has cleansed my heart from sin.

Glory, glory to the Father! Glory, glory to the Son! Glory, glory to the Spirit! Glory to the Three in One!

Chorus: I will praise Him! I will praise Him! Praise the Lamb for sinners slain; give Him glory, all ye people, for His blood can wash away each stain.

The Struggle To Pray

2009-11-04T19:40:00.000-08:00

"It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life. . . . Ultimately, therefore, a man discovers the real condition of his spiritual life when he examines himself in private, when he is alone with God. . . . And have we not all known what it is to find that, somehow, we have less to say to God when we are alone than when we are in the presence of others? It should not be so; but it often is. So that it is when we have left the realm of activities and outward dealings with other people, and are alone with God, that we really know where we stand in a spiritual sense."

-Martin Lloyd Jones

What Precisely Is The Gospel?

2009-10-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

I love Jeff Purswell, he is the editor of the smaller version of Systematic Theology entitled Bible Doctrine. He's also a pastor and dean of the Pastor's college at Sovereign Grace Church in Maryland. The following is a great explanation of the biblical gospel.

I was having a wide-ranging conversation with a friend the other day when we wandered onto the topic of the gospel. I casually observed how frequently the word gospel was freighted with elements that belong more precisely to the realm of discipleship or ethics—e.g., what we do in response to the gospel, or how we live in light of the gospel.

My friend responded with puzzlement: “Aren’t those things part of the gospel? Didn’t Jesus say in the Great Commission, ‘teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’?”

A lively and edifying conversation ensued in which we found ourselves largely in agreement, but also in which a crucial issue surfaced: what precisely is the gospel?

Perhaps it’s foolish to tackle such a question in a medium that militates against nuance and formulaic clarity. No doubt my comments will be parsed and found wanting by many who discern neglect of this or that biblical theme or emphasis—ah, well, such are the joys of blogging. It is, however, a question that lies at the very heart of our faith, and therefore at the heart of pastoral ministry.

So what does the New Testament present as the gospel?

A good place to begin is Mark’s gospel. At the outset of the book, the author immediately alerts us to the significance of what will follow: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Syntactically, this heading flows directly into the remainder of the prologue (Isaiah’s prophecy, John the Baptist, and Jesus’s baptism/temptations)—indicating that these introductory events are the “beginning of the gospel,” while the balance of Mark’s narrative presents the rest of the gospel.

What’s the point? For Mark, the gospel is the story about Jesus—the good news of all that Jesus did in his life and ministry and death and resurrection.

We see a similar idea in the early preaching of the church. When Peter is summoned to Cornelius’s home and discovers that God is behind this miraculous chain of events, his presentation of the gospel (“proclaiming the good news of peace”—Acts 10:36b) is an outline of Jesus’s ministry, beginning with John the Baptist on through to his resurrection and commissioning of the apostles to proclaim forgiveness through his name (Acts 10:36-41; cf. 2:22-24; 3:13-15). As far back as C.H. Dodd, commentators have viewed this as a summary of apostolic preaching and noted its basic agreement with the structure of Mark’s gospel. Once again, the gospel is the news of what God was doing through Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection.

Paul uses the term gospel more than any other NT writer. Of course, one of the most familiar renditions of “gospel” in the NT is Paul’s summary statement in 1 Corinthians 15:1ff: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you...For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…” Again, the gospel consists of what Jesus did to save us. Paul’s presentation is more narrow, focusing on the pinnacle of Christ’s work—his substitutionary death and resurrection—but that focus is also embedded into the very structures of the canonical gospels themselves, which reserve far more space for, and place the greatest emphasis on, the death and resurrection of Jesus.

So what is the gospel?

Although this brief survey is far from complete, it consistently reveals that the gospel is good news concerning Jesus and what he did to accomplish salvation for sinners.

In other words, the gospel is objective. It tells us what God has done to save his people. It consists of concrete, historical events, rooted in Old Testament promises, types, and institutions that were fulfilled in Jesus. It promises that all who trust in Christ and his work will receive forgiveness and life. Of course, this isn’t merely a catalogue of events of only historical interest; all of this has massive implications for our lives. But we must not confuse the gospel message itself with the outworking of those implications.

So, for example, although the gospel calls me to respond to what Jesus has done, strictly speaking it doesn’t include my response—repentance is not the gospel. Although the gospel introduces me to a life lived in glad obedience to God, strictly speaking it doesn’t include that life of obedience. Our existence as Christians involves unspeakable privileges, significant responsibilities, and untold promise. But those things themselves are not the gospel.

Why is all this important? It’s important because the very nature of the gospel is at stake—and there is no higher priority for the pastor than to guard the gospel from neglect, distortion, or redefinition (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14).

If the gospel message expands to include “discipleship in the kingdom,” then the objective nature of Christ’s work is minimized. When the gospel is redefined as a call to a social or political movement, Christ’s work is replaced with ours. When the gospel includes my response, then the ground of my assurance lies in me rather than in Christ. Indeed, anytime we shift the definition of the gospel from God’s objective accomplishment to our subjective appropriation, the rock-solid foundation of our faith is misplaced—and the glory of God in the gospel is obscured.

Of course, we can be clear on the gospel message and make other mistakes. We can neglect the entailments of the gospel (a life of self-denial and obedience to Christ). We can focus only on spiritual salvation to the exclusion of any concern for the material or physical well-being of others. We can so focus on a heavenly home that we neglect our responsibilities of loving others in a fallen world, and that our ultimate future lies in a “new heavens and new earth” that have been fully renewed by God’s power.

None of these mistakes, however, minimizes the importance of holding fast to the gospel of our salvation. For it is through the power of the gospel that we are transformed to live new lives by the power of the Spirit. It is through the gospel that we are freed from selfishness to give our lives in service of others. Sure, the scope of Christ’s redemption is the whole cosmos (Colossians 1:20), but at the center of his redemptive concern are rebellious image-bearers whom he is ransoming to be his children. But all of these entailments, implications, and promises are founded upon the rock-solid, unchanging accomplishment of God through the gospel of his Son. It is this message that is God’s power to save sinners, to comfort the grieving, to motivate the listless, to encourage the downhearted, to assure the guilt-stricken.

This message never changes; this message is always true; and so our hope is always secure.

And it precisely when those erstwhile rebels grasp God’s accomplishment in the gospel—the greatest display of “the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love”—that they will be “filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19) and marvel with wonder at the gospel’s display of God’s glorious grace.

----------

Jeff Purswell serves as the Dean of the Sovereign Grace Pastors College and a pastor at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD.

Counterfeit Gods

2009-10-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Tim Keller the author of Reason for God and The Prodigal God has released his newest work, Counterfeit Gods. Like The Prodigal God, you will do your soul well to go out and pick up a copy.

Do You Know Yourself?

2009-10-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

“What we may need reminding of in our day is not that the knowledge of God is difficult to comprehend and to embrace—that’s more or less obvious—but that the knowledge of ourselves is just as difficult to comprehend and embrace. Indeed, it may be more difficult, first, because a true knowledge of ourselves assumes a true knowledge of God, and second, because we tend to think we do know ourselves, when in fact, the depths of our condition are beyond our comprehension without the help of God.”

—John Piper, Finally Alive

The Gospel Driven Life

2009-10-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

Michael Horton has just released The Gospel Driven Life, his follow up to last year's Christless Christianity. I like what the back cover says " When did the Good News become just good advice?" So many of our churches have opted for a moralistic version of Christianity, you listen to a nice little story with little snippets of scripture strewn together and hear how if you just let Jesus into your heart, He will help you be a better person.

We have to reorient our faith and our lives toward the transforming power of the gospel, nothing else will do. Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

"The Good News is not just a series of facts to which we yield our
assent but a dramatic narrative that replots our identity. Think of
it in terms of a theatrical play. Each week we come to church with
our own scripts. If yours is anything like mine, it’s “the show about
nothing.” Yet God descends to give us a new script: a rich plot in
which our original character dies and is raised with the lead character.
Instead of trying to find a supporting role for God in our play, God
writes us into his script as part of a growing cast for his new world.
This script does not offer a blueprint for a new creation, if we will
only follow certain steps for realizing it. Instead, through this gospel
the Spirit sweeps us into the drama, into the new creation that has
already been inaugurated. No longer “in Adam,” under the reign of
sin and death, we are “in Christ."

You can read more from the introduction and purchase the book here: http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/6282/nm/Gospel_Driven_Life_The_Being_Good_News_People_in_a_Bad_News_World_Hardcover

Christ Centered Worship

2009-09-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

Doctrine in an Old Overcoat

2009-09-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

This month's Tabletalk magazine has a great devotion by John P. Sartelle, John is the senior minister of Tates Creek Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky.

He talks about the explosive effect of good doctrine and the powerful results of coupling sound doctrine with life, as Sartelle puts it: "The characteristics of that life do not produce the doctrine; rather, the doctrine is the source of that lifestyle." He is referring to the verse in Titus 2:1, where Paul counselled Titus to teach the members of the church of Crete a way of life that "fits" or "goes with" sound doctrine. Paul chooses an ordinary group of people and their everyday interactions with one another to demonstrate how God's doctrine penetrates all parts of life. Sartelle goes on to describe some of the characteristics; "dignified; self controlled; sound in love; steadfast; reverent; not slanderers. 'Paul concludes by saying that lives lived in such a way are ornaments to the doctrine of God." I love the way that Sartelle puts that, we are ornaments on the doctrine of God, in other words, the way that we live our lives should coincide with what we preach or speak, if there is any incongruity, our testimony is at best weak and frail.

He goes on to say, "God decorates His doctrine with our lives, which are changed and improved by His teaching "so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior" We must integrate Biblical doctrine into every nook and cranny of our lives, especially in the day of McChurches and McSermons. If there isn't a vivid proof that what we believe matches how we live people will just continue to walk in and out of our churches and lives, thinking that this God that we serve is malnourished and weak, without any power whatsoever to change their lives; or as Sartelle puts it; "Some vehemently argue on behalf of the great doctrines taught by Augustine, Luther, Calvin, but they do not demonstrate the living reality of these tenets in their relationships with the world around them." Even if we can articulate these doctrines well, if our lives are out of sync with what we espouse from the pulpit we are self righteous hypocrites at best.

Again Sartelle puts it so well; "Trust in the sovereignty of God should form a strong humility in the life of the believer. Assurance of the grace of God should produce constant gratitude and an incredible desire to forgive those who have sinned against us." He then goes on to ask the question, "Why should we expect anyone to believe a theology we teach with our lips but contradict with our lives?" Ouch! I know that I have a great tendency to sway towards the moral, self righteous judge. Especially when I see someone who is struggling with the very same thing that I may have only entertained in thought, in an attempt to push the spotlight away from exposing my sinful heart.

Sartelle quotes his mentor, Dr. R.T.L. Liston; "Son, don't wear this theology like a badge..These doctrines are best worn like an old overcoat." what a great picture of how doctrine should fit onto and into our lives, we have to learn, fail, pray, repent and accept correction. Let's be ornaments that adorn the wonderful and life altering doctrine that we proclaim.

If you want a resource that will help you grow in understanding Biblical doctrine and your relationship with the Lord check out Tabletalk over at http://www.ligonier.org/tt.php

He Is With Us

2009-09-18T04:34:00.001-07:00

I was reading in John 16:1-15 this morning. It's when Jesus was telling His disciples that He would be leaving them. He also issues some warnings as to how the disciples will be treated in the future.

It is for our good that Jesus' physical presence went away, because now we have the Counselor, the precious Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth (John 16:13) speaking the very words of God. Jesus did all of this to assure us that one we would have right standing with the Father because He knew that we would never meet His perfect standard. He also wants us to know that we will never be without His presence, no matter how bad our circumstances may seem, we will never be alone!

Our faith cannot be shaken or destroyed by our circumstances, our faith has to be in someone who is stronger and more solid than the shifting sands of our emotions, it is to be in the One who promised, never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.

People of The Book, Should Be People of Books

2009-09-09T04:26:00.000-07:00

There is a great article over at Modern Reformation by Rick Ritchie that is worth checking out.

"Biblical religion's focus on the written word of God has always led naturally to literacy among God's people. It is common when arguing the authority of the Bible with an unbeliever to be asked the question "But wasn't this believed by primitive people who didn't even know how to read or write?" The answer is that a written revelation led to a literate society. The synagogue was an educational institution which required literacy, as in it the Scriptures were read. According to Scripture, Jesus read (Lk 4:16) and wrote (Jn 8:6). His accusing questions to the Pharisees begin with the words "Have you not read...?" (Matt 12:3,5; 19:4; 21:16,42; 22:31; Mk 2:25; 12:10,26), suggesting that his hearers were readers who should have read with more diligence. People of the book were always a literate people."
http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=742&var3=main&var4=Home

The Divine Substitute

2009-08-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying "The Divine Substitute" by Ian J Shaw and Brian H. Edwards. It's a great little book from Day One publishing, though small in size what's inside is of enormous proportion.
This volume is chock full of the gospel, on every page. It goes throughout history and shows just how seriously the doctrine of penal substitution has been taken, wherein Christ willingly took our place and stood condemned for our sake, enduring the wrath of God for sin in our place, so that God's justice is satisfied and God's amazing love is shown towards us undeserving sinners.
I love so many of the historical blurbs in this book, one that stood out to me was the one about the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. For both of them penal substitution was of great importance, Charles Wesley was able to trust in Christ alone for his salvation and wrote in his journal the following, "I now find myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ...I saw that by faith I stood" He would later write a famous hymn, 'And Can It Be' with the following line "No condemnation now I dread: Jesus, and all in him, is mine!"
Knowing that Christ had set the Wesley's free from the condemnation that their sins had made due to them set their hearts on fire, even in reading this excerpt from a page in their history made me want to fall more in love with Christ and continue to preach the gospel to myself and to others that the Lord brings into my path.
Do pick up a copy of this wonderful work and while you're at it pick up "The Great Exchange, Justification by Faith Alone by Phillip H. Eveson. Both are available at http://www.cvbbs.com/index.html for an amazing $4.99! Both of these books are a great way to preach the gospel to yourself and also to bring the awe inspiring work of the cross more into focus in your life.

What Are Trials

2009-08-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love James MacDonald, He's truly one of my heroes of the faith, and one great teacher of God's word. Here is a great example of some of his teaching.

You Were Chosen

2009-08-09T17:57:00.001-07:00

You Were Chosen

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God John 1:12

With all due respect to blood relatives, there is something powerful about being chosen. If you were adopted into a family, you were chosen. Your parents looked around and said, "We want her." Or "We choose him to be our son." Did you know that adoption's legal bonds are so strong that an adopted child cannot be disowned?

If you are married, then you also know the wonder of being chosen. Out of all the world your spouse chose you to share their name, to share their life, to share everything good and bad that they would encounter for the rest of their years.

But even these powerful bonds can't compare to the truth that God in His infinite grace chose to set His love upon you!

Some people struggle with this truth. They're like, "How dare God choose one person and not choose another!" If that bugs you, you still have a lot to learn about God. "How dare the clay say to the potter, ‘Why have you made me like this?'"(Isaiah 45:9). If God wants to make one vessel for honor and one vessel for dishonor (2 Timothy 2:20), that's what it means to be sovereign. I can't explain that to you. All I can tell you is that when people resist the truth about God's sovereignty to choose, it has led to two errors.

The first error people say is "A loving God wouldn't choose certain people and thereby reject others." So their rationalization leads to the idea that God chooses everyone. Yet John 1:12 says— "only those who receive Him are given the authority to be called the children of God."

Other people say God doesn't have anything to do with it. It's totally us. We're the ones that choose. If you know the Lord, it's because you choose." Of course that's not what the Scripture teaches either. Here are two verses that prove otherwise:

Psalm 91:14: "Because He has set His love upon me, I will set Him on high. Because He has known my name"
Ephesians 1:4: "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world"

Somehow, before the world was made, God looked into eternity future and chose to set His love upon you. Your inner assurance shines through when you are convinced that God is personally committed to you. For no reason you can claim, you were on His most wanted list.

Being an adopted child myself, I thought that this devotional from James MacDonald was a great one and wanted to share it!

Counsel From The Cross

2009-07-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson have written one of the most gospel centered books on counseling that I have ever seen. It's not another 12 steps to your best life or self help disguised in a "christian" wrapper, Counsel From The Cross is a practical "how to" in applying the gospel not only in your life but also in other people's life. I loved the quote from B.B. Warfield that starts the introduction, " There is nothing in us or done by us, at any stage of our earthly development, because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ's sake, or we cannot ever be accepted at all....This is not true of us only when we believe. It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing; nor does the nature of our relation to Him or to God through Him ever alter, no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in behavior may be. It is always on His "blood and righteousness" alone that we can rest." Great way to begin a book on counseling, we are nothing and have nothing outside of Christ. We are utterly without any hope whatsoever without Jesus and His righteousness, our righteousness is but filthy rags.
This book is broken into nine different chapters, starting with how do we see ourselves and moving from that into how do we see our Savior and His love toward us in light of the tremendous bad news about our sin riddled state. Fitzpatrick and Johnson have done a wonderful job of breaking this book into manageable size chunks, with great questions to apply what you've read and also to dig a little further into counseling from the cross.
In the second appendix there is a wonderful resource taken from Jay Adam's Christian Counselor's New Testamant, it is an excellent way of applying the gospel to pretty much any difficulty that you or someone you know may be experiencing, the list is by no means exhaustive but would be helpful as a guide as to where to begin in applying Scripture and the gospel to a wide array of circumstances and situations that you may find yourself faced with.
There were many nuggets of goodness to take from this book and I'm sure upon multiple readings, many other things will come to the surface, here is one example of those nuggets;
"The good news also tells us that although we were rebels, he made us his own (Phil. 3:12) He loves us. We are not outcasts, house guests, foster children, slaves or strangers Like an attentive Father, he has yearned over us (Jer 31:20) and chosen us before the foundation of the world, and he has brought us into his family as his beloved adopted children (Eph 1:4) We've been born "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13)
What a wonderful picture of the gospel! We have not slipped into the family of God by accident or as Fitzpatrick states "by the skin of our teeth" we were chosen before the foundation of the world at just the right time God sent forth His Son and there is not one thing within any of us to make God love us any more than He already does. The wonderful good news is that even though we are filthy undeserving sinners, we are invited actually called into an intimate relationship with God the Father through the finished work of the Son and sealed by the precious Holy Spirit! We are far better off than we deserve!
You really need to pick up a copy of Counsel From The Cross, it is a cross centered work that would benefit your soul greatly. The problem isn't that we need more steps to arrive at a place of imperfection, we need to be faced with the horribly bad news of our sorry state and then be affected daily by the incredible good news of the gospel, and that is we are indeed far worse off than we realize but we are loved far more than we will ever know.

Laughing With

2009-07-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

This is a very interesting song. I really love Regina's voice, I'm not sure where she stands spiritually but I thought that these were some very thought provoking lyrics, and very creative visuals.

Come To Jesus With Your Sorrows

2009-07-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

COME, YE DISCONSOLATE

Thomas Moore, 1779–1852, (verses 1 and 2 with alterations)

Thomas Hastings, 1784–1872, (verse 3)

You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

God’s delight is to administer comfort to wounded spirits.

—Unknown

Repeating the plea to “come” and the plaintive promise that “earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal,” this hymn of a soulful Irish poet has brought divine peace and consolation to countless troubled individuals. The text assures the anguished, the desolate, the straying one, and the penitent that responding to God’s gracious invitation and sharing our burdens with Him will bring us joy, light, hope, and tender comfort.

Thomas Moore was well-known in Ireland for his poems and ballads such as “The Last Rose of Summer” and “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms.” He became known as the “Voice of Ireland.” Moore’s prose and poetry were said to be influential in the political emancipation of Ireland. The English seemed to sense in his writings the true spirit of the Irish people, and they were moved to be more sympathetic toward their gaining independence from England.

After Thomas Moore included this hymn in his 1824 collection, Sacred Songs—Duets and Trios, a number of revisions were made in the lines by Thomas Hastings, an American hymnist. The third stanza was almost completely rewritten by Hastings. It is generally agreed that these changes made Moore’s poem easier to sing and more suitable for evangelical church use. How important to be reminded that “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish—Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts; here tell your anguish: Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying, Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure! Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying, “Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot cure!”

Here see the Bread of Life, see the waters flowing forth from the throne of God, pure from above; come to the feast of love—come ever knowing earth has no sorrow but heav’n can remove.

For Today: Matthew 11:28, 29; John 14:1; 2 Corinthians 1:3–7; Hebrews 4:15, 16; 1 Peter 5:7

Bring to the mercy seat whatever is clouding your life, and you will find the consolation and peace that God has promised and that only He can give. Then remember that the world is full of people with heavy hearts. Share this word of encouragement with someone. Carry this musical reminder with you—

Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Kregel Publications, 1990, S. 207

The School of Suffering

2009-06-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

The School Of Suffering

by John Newton

I suppose you are still in the 'school of the cross', learning the happy are of extracting 'real good' out of 'seeming evil', and to grow tall by stooping. The flesh is a sad untoward dunce in this school; but grace makes the spirit willing to learn by suffering; yes, it cares not what it endures, so that sin may be mortified, and a conformity to the image of Jesus be increased. Surely, when we see the most and the best of the Lord's children so often in heaviness, and when we consider how much He loves them, and what He has done and prepared for them, we may take it for granted that there is a need-be for their sufferings. For it would be easy to His power, and not a thousandth part of what His love intends to do for them should He make their whole life here, from the hour of their conversion to their death, a continued course of satisfaction and comfort, without anything to distress them from within or without. But were it so, would we not miss many advantages?

In the first place, we would not then be very conformable to Jesus, nor be able to say, "As He was, so are we in this world." Methinks a believer would be ashamed to be so utterly unlike his Lord. What! The master always a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, and the servant always happy and full of comfort! Jesus despised, reproached, neglected, opposed, and betrayed; and His people admired and caressed! He living in the poverty, and they filled with abundance; He sweating blood for anguish, and they strangers to distress!

How unsuitable would these things be! How much better to be called to the honor of experiencing a measure of His sufferings! A cup was put into His hand on our account, and His love engaged Him to drink it for us. The wrath which it contained He drank wholly Himself; but He left us a little affliction to taste, that we might remember how He loved us, and how much more He endured for us than He will ever call us to endure for Him.

Again, how could we, without sufferings, manifest the nature and truth of the Christian graces! What place should we then have for patience, submission, meekness, forbearance, and a readiness to forgive, if we had nothing to try us, either from the hand of the Lord, or from the hand of men! A Christian without trials would be like a mill without wind or water; the contrivance and design of the wheel-work within would be unnoticed and unknown, without something to put it in motion from without. Nor would our graces grow, unless they were called out to exercise; the difficulties we meet with not only prove, but strengthen, the graces of the spirit. If a person were always to sit still, without making use of legs or arms, he would probably wholly lose the power of moving his limbs at last. But by walking and working he becomes strong and active. So, in a long course of ease, the powers of the new man would certainly languish; the soul would grow soft, indolent, cowardly, and faint; and therefore the Lord appoints His children such dispensations as make them strive and struggle, and pant; they must press through a crowd, swim against a stream, endure hardships, run, wrestle, and fight; and thus their strength grows in the using.

By these things, likewise, they are made more willing to leave the present world, to which we are prone to cleave too closely in our hearts when our path is very smooth. Had Israel enjoyed their former peace and prosperity in Egypt, when Moses came to invite them to Canaan, I think they would hardly have listened to him. But the Lord allowed them to be brought into great trouble and bondage, and then the news of deliverance was more welcome, yet still they were but half willing, and they carried a love to the flesh-pots of Egypt with them into the wilderness.

We are like them. Though we say this world is vain and sinful, we are too fond of it; and though we hope for true happiness only in Heaven, we are often well content to stay longer here on earth. But the Lord sends afflictions one after another to quicken our desires, and to convince us that this world cannot be our rest. Sometimes if you drive a bird from one branch of a tree he will hop to another a little higher, and from thence to a third; but if you continue to disturb him, he will at last take wing, and fly quite away. Thus we, when forced from one creature-comfort, perch upon another, and so on. But the Lord mercifully follows us with trials, and will not let us rest upon any; by degrees our desires take a nobler flight, and can be satisfied with nothing short of Himself; and we say, "To depart and be with Jesus is best of all!"

I trust you find the name and grace of Jesus more and more precious to you; His promises more sweet, and your hope in them more abiding; your sense of your own weakness and unworthiness daily increasing; your persuasion of his all-sufficiency, to guide, support, and comfort you, more confirmed. You owe your growth in these respects in a great measure to His blessing upon those afflictions which He has prepared for you, and sanctified to you. May you praise Him for all that is past, and trust Him for all that is to come!

Promises

2009-06-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

God has made promises and He will see them through, even when it seems contrary, He will fulfill His promises to us.
The Israelite' s are a great example of this, God said that He would make them a great nation and bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. It sure seemed unlikely that this was true, with the new Pharaoh in town (Exodus 1:1-14; 2:23, 24) . This Pharaoh had never heard of Joseph so in the minds of the Israelite' s it may have seemed as if God had forgotten them. Almost as if everything that had been done previously was being undone or was done in vain.
It's interesting that it says in Exodus 2:23-24 that the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and they cried out for help. God heard their cry and it says that He remembered His covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob, it says that "God knew" Pharaoh may have had a memory lapse but God never does!
God knows exactly where we are today, He knows exactly how much we need and how to deliver it to us. Because of Jesus the promises that were made to the Israelite' s are ours as well. We are the descendant's that outnumber the sands, more importantly we are children of God who have been adopted and we have a new identity because of the finished work of the cross. If you are a Christian you have a new identity, and know that He is not finished with us yet, He who began a good work is faithful to bring it to completion and that is a promise! (Philippians 1:6)

O The Deep Deep Love

2009-06-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

I have been coming to grips with the fact that I am a self righteous person, legalism is a tendency that I have and I must daily go back and review the gospel. If I don't sin will reign and I will think that I am a good person, earning God's love on my "good" merit. Nothing can be farther from the truth, there is absolutely nothing good that dwells within my deceit ridden heart. Jesus is my only hope and His work is all I can depend on. The fact that God loves me at all, just blows my mind. This hymn paints a vivid picture of that love, O the deep, deep love, it's over me, under me, beside me, all around me! Praise His glorious name!

O THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS

S. Trevor Francis, 1834–1925

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:17, 18)

Who can fully grasp the dimensions of God’s great love for us? Yet the Scriptures teach that we are to have a growing awareness of divine love. Love is the very heart and essence of God, not only for the lovely but for the vilest of sinners. Christ did not die merely to display God’s love—He died because God is love (1 John 4:8). If the New Testament teaches us anything, it teaches us about God’s love in searching for lost men. Becoming a Christian in a very real sense is simply putting ourselves in the way of being found by God—to stop running from His loving pursuit.

As we mature in the Christian faith, we begin to realize that every situation that comes our way is an opportunity for God’s love to be made more evident in our lives. Once we realize this, our attitude changes dramatically toward suffering people as well as toward ourselves when we are called to suffer. Then even during those times when our spiritual fervor declines and our devotion to God subsides, despite these shortcomings, God’s love remains unfailing—continually working for our eternal good.

The author of this text, S. Trevor Francis, was a prominent lay leader with the Plymouth Brethren in England and was known as an effective devotional speaker throughout Great Britain and around the world.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus—vast, unmeasured, boundless free! Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me, underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love—leading onward, leading homeward, to my glorious rest above.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus—spread His praise from shore to shore! How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore. How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own; how for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of ev’ry love the best! ’Tis an ocean vast of blessing; ’tis a haven sweet of rest. O the deep, deep love of Jesus—’tis a heav’n of heav’ns to me; and it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee.

Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Kregel Publications, 1990, S. 44

Hold On

2009-06-23T06:25:00.000-07:00

This is a great song by The Daniel Doss Band, It has come to mean a lot to me recently. If you're in a place that you feel forgotten by God, listen to the words of this song. He is with you and He cares deeply for you and what you are going through, hold on!

The Lord Was With Him

2009-06-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

I keep coming across Joseph in my Bible, "The Lord was with him", even in the most devastating of circumstances God was with Joseph. And He took care of Joseph, interestingly it was Joseph's responses to his circumstances that God allowed that revealed what was inside of his heart. From being sold as a slave by his own brother's to being falsely accused of rape by Potipher's wife to ending up in jail for no apparent reason. He could have easily responded with bitterness and anger but he was more concerned with how the Lord would be represented, he didn't want to bring God's name to disgrace.
I think about my life in contrast with Joseph's, I am not even close when it comes to responding the right way to life's circumstances. I get angry, I struggle with bitterness and regret, what this screams from my heart is unbelief! "I don't truly trust you God!" When really every circumstance that comes into my life, good and bad, have been filtered through God's sovereign hands.
The Lord is more interested in my response to my circumstances, because ultimately He's more concerned with my heart condition and holiness than He is with whether or not I find myself comfortable. He can be trusted and like Joseph, if you are a child of the Father, He is with you no matter what circumstances you may find yourself in today, and that truly is great news!

If you're looking for a good Bible study on the life of Joseph and Jacob, John MacArthur has a great one. Head on over to http://www.gty.org/Shop/Bible+Study+Books/452225 it's only $4.90 with free shipping, so definitely check that out!

Activate by Faith

2009-06-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

Activate by Faith

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
- 2 Peter 1:3-4

I grew up going to my grandma's house. She used to have a small ceramic loaf of bread on the center of the kitchen table. In it was a stack of little cards, and on the cards were promises from the Bible. Sometimes before my grandpa would pray for the meal he'd say, “Let's read a promise,” and he'd take a card out and read it. I grew up hearing these promises, but I never really understood how they worked.

I didn't get the fact that it's in God's nature to promise and that God's whole relationship with us is carried out in His promises. God gives us His promises to get through the painful circumstances of life. I didn't understand it—until I went through it, and then my perspective completely changed.

Has that been your experience too? When we're in a crucible of pain, suddenly we learn the truth about God's promises. His commitment to us becomes what Peter talks about in 2 Peter 1:4 as “exceedingly great and precious” (NKJV). God's promises aren't great until we need them. They're not precious until they're proven. Until we put all of our weight on them and they hold us up, we don't get it. But test them and they'll always prove true. God's promises become personal when we activate them by faith.

Do you want to experience more of God's promises in your life? Do you want to get the promise off the little card on the breakfast table and into your life? Then you must activate the promises of God by faith. Faith is what moves God's promises from your head to your heart. It's not enough to know something; you've got to put it into real life.

You can know a diet. You can list the rules and even write them out for someone else, but you're not going to lose weight unless you follow the plan yourself. You can be familiar with a piece of music, but it's not yours until you play it. A doctor's prescription can match your need perfectly, but until you swallow it, it's not going to make any difference.

You've got to take God's promises by faith. Only then will you see for yourself why they've satisfied generations of faithful men and women who've trusted God's Word.

This was a devotional from James MacDonald, in a day when "faith" is so misunderstood, I thought that this was a great example of true faith. For more great resources and downloadable teachings, check out https://www.walkintheword.com/index.aspx

God and Myself

2009-06-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Valley of Vision is a collection of prayers written by the Puritans, it's a great resource to use especially for those times that you just don't know what to say. The Puritans just have a way of expressing things so fittingly and cross centered, it would definitely be a worthwhile investment in your walk with the Lord.
This is a prayer entitled God and Myself, a great reminder of who God is and who I am.

Thy understanding is unsearchable and infinite, Thy arm cannot be stayed, Thy agency extends through limitless space, All works hang on thy care, With thee time is a present now.
Holy is thy wisdom, power, mercy, ways, works, How can I stand before thee with my numberless and aggravated offenses? I have often loved darkness, observed lying vanities, forsaken thy given mercies, trampled underfoot thy beloved Son, mocked thy providence's, flattered thee with my lips, broken thy covenant.
It is of thy that I am not consumed. Lead me to repentance, and save me from despair; Let me come to thee renouncing, condemning, loathing myself, but hoping in the grace that flows even to the chief of sinners.
At the cross may I contemplate the evil of sin, and abhor it, look on him whom I pierced, as one slain for me, and by me.
May I never despise his death by fearing it's efficacy for my salvation. And whatever cross I am required to bear, let me see him carrying a heavier. Teach me in health to think of sickness, in the brightest hours to be ready for darkness, in life prepare me for death.
Thus may my soul rest in thee, O immortal and transcendent one, revealed as thou art in the Person and work of thy Son, the Friend of sinners.

I would highly recommend picking up a copy of the Valley of Vision for yourself, it will nourish your soul.

http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/436/nm/Valley+of+Vision%3A+A+Collection+of+Puritan+Prayers+and+Devotions%2C+Leather+Gift+Edition?utm_source=rreffett&utm_medium=blogpartners

The Gospel In Six Minutes

2009-05-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love John Piper, here is a great explanation of the gospel in six minutes no less!

What's the Gospel?

What’s the gospel? I’ll put it in a sentence.

The Gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.

That’s the gospel.

You Can't Outgrow the Gospel

You never, never, never outgrow your need for it. Don’t ever think of the gospel as, “That’s the way you get saved, and then you get strong by leaving it and doing something else.”

No! We are strengthened by God through the gospel every day, till the day we drop.

You never outgrow the need to preach to yourself the gospel.

How the Gospel Strengthens

Here’s an illustration, and I use it not because it’s any big deal to speak from my life, but because it’s what I walked through and where I most pointedly in the last year experienced the power of the gospel to make me strong. (Many of you are walking through things much heavier than prostate cancer—much heavier.)

Do you remember the verses that I shared with you back in February that were almighty for me? It was that moment right after the doctor says, “I think we need to do a biopsy,” when this stab of fear comes. It didn’t last long, mercifully.

And then came—what? 1Thessalonians 5:9-10. It’s just as pure gospel as you can get.

God has not destined you for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,who died for you so that whether you wake or sleep you will live with him.

Settled. Peace like a river.

The Gospel Is Perfect for Your Needs

That’s just gospel—perfectly timed, perfectly applied, perfectly suited to my need. That’s why the Bible is so thick—because there are so many different needs that you have. And there are suitable places where the gospel is unfolded for you, so that if you immerse yourself in the whole book, always with an eye for what Christ has wrought for you and purchased for you in this thick, glorious history of God’s interaction with people, he will give you what you need.

Therefore, everything in me says, and I hope to say until the day I die, “Now, to him who is able to strengthen me, according to Paul’s gospel, to him—to that God—be glory forever and ever.”

God came into history in Jesus Christ; he died in order to destroy the power of hell and death and Satan and sin; and he did it through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Plea to Believe

I know that there are people reading this who are not trusting Jesus Christ, and therefore can only expect condemnation. So I’m just going to plead with you here at the end, lay down that rebellion. Lay it down. And simply embrace the gospel that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous One, died for your sins. He was raised on the third day, triumphant over all his enemies. He reigns until he puts all of his enemies under his feet. Forgiveness of sins and a right standing with God comes freely through him alone, by faith alone.

I plead with you, don’t try to be strong in your own strength; it will not be there when you need it. Only one strength will be there—the strength that God gives according to the gospel.

Don’t put it off.

Mysteries

2009-05-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

Woodrow Kroll, who is a great teacher of God's word had this to say in regards to mysteries in this life. I have to admit, there are so many times that I ask why? I know that I may never know the answers while here on this earth, I may not know until I arrive at home in heaven. No matter when the answers are revealed, I know that I can trust the God of all mysteries. He truly is good!

Daniel 2:28:

"But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these."

Mysteries Revealed

Many people love a good mystery story. With avid interest they follow the twists and turns of plots woven by such master mystery writers as Agatha Christie or Mary Higgins Clark. Yet there comes a point when the mystery needs to be revealed. Who really did it? Was it the butler? Perhaps the jilted lover? Maybe the upstairs maid? Unless the mystery is revealed, the whole point of the story is lost.

God never leaves a mystery unresolved either. As Daniel was faced with the need to unravel the strange and disturbing dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, God supplied the answers. What could not be known by any other means, God revealed to Daniel at the appropriate time. Nothing is hidden from God's sight; no answers are beyond His understanding. When the need to know is there, God always provides the information.

Life is filled with mysteries. We ask ourselves, Why did this young missionary die in a car accident? On the surface, it appears to be a mystery. Why did I develop cancer while an ungodly neighbor lives a long and healthy life? The answer doesn't seem obvious. Why was my child born with birth defects while my friend's child is healthy? There are no easy explanations.

If you are struggling with a mystery, if you have more questions than answers, wait patiently. It's hard, but you must believe that God will not keep the answer hidden forever. A day will come, perhaps on earth or maybe in heaven, when you will understand. Some day all the mysteries that plague us, all the plaintive wails of "Why?" will be answered. Until then, trust the Divine Writer. At just the right time, He'll reveal the secret.

God is a God of revelation, not a God of secrets.

The Road Uphill

2009-05-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

I have used Streams In The Desert by Mrs Charles E. Cowman for years as an evening devotional, usually right before I go to sleep. I love the various contributors to this work, including Charles Spurgeon and this gem from George Matheson, this was such an encouraging entry. Hopefully this will provide some comfort and encouragement, no matter where you find yourself today. May you sense the presence of the Lord as you climb the road uphill.

The Road Uphill

Walking in the midst of the fire" (Daniel 3:25).

The fire did not arrest their motion; they walked in the midst of it. It was one of the streets through which they moved to their destiny. The comfort of Christ's revelation is not that it teaches emancipation from sorrow, but emancipation through sorrow.

O my God, teach me, when the shadows have gathered, that I am only in a tunnel. It is enough for me to know that it will be all right some day.

They tell me that I shall stand upon the peaks of Olivet, the heights of resurrection glory. But I want more, O my Father; I want Calvary to lead up to it. I want to know that the shadows of this world are the shades of an avenue the avenue to the house of my Father. Tell me I am only forced to climb because Thy house is on the hill! I shall receive no hurt from sorrow if I shall walk in the midst of the fire. --George Matheson

"'The road is too rough,' I said;
'It is uphill all the way;
No flowers, but thorns instead;
And the skies over head are grey.'
But One took my hand at the entrance dim,
And sweet is the road that I walk with Him.

"The cross is too great,' I cried--
'More than the back can bear,
So rough and heavy and wide,
And nobody by to care.'
And One stooped softly and touched my hand:
'I know. I care. And I understand.'

"Then why do we fret and sigh;
Cross-bearers all we go:
But the road ends by-and-by
In the dearest place we know,
And every step in the journey we
May take in the Lord's own company."

Storms

2009-05-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

May 1st. Just doesn't seem possible that we're almost half way through another year! Where does the time go?
It's storming today, first real spring thunderstorm. There's something about storms that make you feel incredibly small, there's also something about them that makes you feel hopeful. I don't know if It's hope for the coming clearing or if it's the cleansed feeling that comes in the air after the storm has passed, the air just seems fresher afterward.
Perhaps we should look at the storms that assail our lives in the same way, knowing that the one who stills the wind and the water waves can do the same thing for the storms in our lives (Luke 8:24) When the storms do come..and they will. They drive us closer to the arms of our Father, more so than when things are calm. Sometimes I wonder if the storms come for that very reason, orchestrated by the all knowing, all powerful sovereign hand of our God. Knowing that we can't help but cry out for Him because He hears us and promises to be with us no matter what we may face. (Deut 31:6)

An Explanation of Trials

2009-04-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

Spurgeon is one of my all time favorites, this section from Morning by Morning seemed appropriate. Some great encouragement from one of the finest.

You are my refuge in the day of disaster.

-- Jeremiah 17:17

The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. It is true that God's Word says, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace";¹ and it is a great truth that faith is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above. But life confirms that if the experience of the righteous is "like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day,"² sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods clouds cover the believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light.

There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked in the sunshine in the early stages of their Christian life; they have walked along the "green pastures" by the side of the "still waters." But suddenly they find that the glorious sky is clouded; instead of the promised land they have to endure the wilderness; in place of sweet waters, they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste, and they say, "Surely, if I were a child of God, this would not happen." Do not say that if you are walking in darkness. The best of God's saints must drink the bitter potion; the dearest of His children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his heart in constant tune.

Perhaps the Lord gave you in the beginning a smooth and unclouded path because you were weak and timid. He moderated the wind on account of your weakness, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God's full-grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten branches of self-reliance, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.

¹Proverbs 3:17
²Proverbs 4:18

A Shelter In The Time of Trouble

2009-04-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Paul David Tripp has released a new book of meditations on Psalm 27. I have not had a chance to read this one yet, but if it is anything like Whiter Than Snow or anything else that Mr. Tripp has written, it will be well worth the time and money to pick this one up. It's called A Shelter In The Time of Storm (meditations on God and trouble)
Check out the video and then head on over to wts books for your copy.

www.wtsbooks.com

What Is The Gospel?

2009-04-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Gospel

"There is no greater message to be heard than that which we call the Gospel. But as important as that is, it is often given to massive distortions or over simplifications. People think they’re preaching the Gospel to you when they tell you, 'you can have a purpose to your life', or that 'you can have meaning to your life', or that 'you can have a personal relationship with Jesus.' All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the Gospel.

The Gospel is called the 'good news' because it addresses the most serious problem that you and I have as human beings, and that problem is simply this: God is holy and He is just, and I’m not. And at the end of my life, I’m going to stand before a just and holy God, and I’ll be judged. And I’ll be judged either on the basis of my own righteousness – or lack of it – or the righteousness of another. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obedience to God, not for His own well being but for His people. He has done for me what I couldn’t possibly do for myself. But not only has He lived that life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of God.

The great misconception in our day is this: that God isn’t concerned to protect His own integrity. He’s a kind of wishy-washy deity, who just waves a wand of forgiveness over everybody. No. For God to forgive you is a very costly matter. It cost the sacrifice of His own Son. So valuable was that sacrifice that God pronounced it valuable by raising Him from the dead – so that Christ died for us, He was raised for our justification. So the Gospel is something objective. It is the message of who Jesus is and what He did. And it also has a subjective dimension. How are the benefits of Jesus subjectively appropriated to us? How do I get it? The Bible makes it clear that we are justified not by our works, not by our efforts, not by our deeds, but by faith – and by faith alone. The only way you can receive the benefit of Christ’s life and death is by putting your trust in Him – and in Him alone. You do that, you’re declared just by God, you’re adopted into His family, you’re forgiven of all of your sins, and you have begun your pilgrimage for eternity."

— R.C. Sproul

Are You Joyful?

2009-04-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Joy is a command-(Phil. 4:4 Phil. 3:1) Paul was emphatic about us rejoicing in the Lord. This command came from someone who was in chains in a dank and dark prison cell.
I awoke this morning in a bad mood, dark feeling, hopeless, focusing on outward circumstances. As I pondered these thoughts, I was reminded of a great teaching by C.J. Mahaney on joy in a pastors life, one of the major points of the teaching was on the truth of the gospel and not on the circumstances or even on my sinfulness. Focus needs to instead be on the finished work of the cross, the reality of the gospel.
I am the worst sinner that I know because I am fully aware of the sin that resides inside of my heart, therefore I must without any hesitation focus intensely on the truth of the gospel, as Jerry Bridges says to "preach the gospel to myself." I need to hear the good news of the gospel everyday of my life, Because everyday there will be a tendency to visit the dark places of my soul. I need to daily come to the realization of my desperate need of my savior Jesus. I cannot attain this on my own I need a daily infusion of the gospel into my heart and my life, My prayer is that Jesus would reveal daily the sweet truth of the gospel because I am indeed a great sinner, but praise God! Jesus is a great, even greater savior! Oh how I need Christ and the transforming power of the gospel.
I want my life to be characterized by joy, because I have been forgiven greatly, it should definitely be making a difference in my life.

How about you? are you modeling joy in your life? What ways has the Lord been enabling you to do that?

Some great books that would definitely help in preaching the gospel to yourself are "The Discipline of Grace" by Jerry Bridges "Living The Cross Centered Life" by C.J. Mahaney and also a great book on the atonement is "The Great Exchange" by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington all of these books can be found at http://www.wtsbooks.com/

I Am A Wanderer Who Is Loved !

2009-04-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Unbelief, it was the Israelite's problem and it's my problem as well. All of the other sins in my life will stem from the root problem of unbelief in my life.
Psalm 106 paints a vivid picture of the desert wanderings of Moses and the Israelite s that eerily mirror much of what my life resembles, especially when it comes to valuing other things higher than God in my life...otherwise known as idolatry.
John Calvin stated so well that our hearts are 'idol factories", my affections are so easily drawn away from the one true lover of my very soul, the one who knows me better than I even know myself.
What I find so incredibly encouraging about Psalm 106 is that each and every time the israelites rebelled, yes God's anger was kindled but it says that nevertheless, He looked upon their distress when He heard their cry. For their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the abundance of His steadfast love."
Wow! So while yes, God's anger was stirred. He had an abundance of steadfast love! God's love outweighed their rebellious wanderings, and the very same is true for us today! God's abundant steadfast love outweighs the rebellious sin that is in us. That is truly good news for this rebellious wanderer! Praise His name!

I Need Humility

2009-04-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading CJ Mahaney's Humility and I must say, I desperately need more humility in my life. Even as I type that statement, I can feel the tendrils of pride gripping at my soul.
Sin is such a deceptive thing in my life, that's why I am so very thankful for this wonderful work by Mr. Mahaney. At a mere 174 pages, this little book packs a huge punch to the flesh. It would be a great book to go through with your small group, especially chapter 10: Inviting and Pusruing Correction, let me just say that this was a difficult chapter for me. I started realizing just how much of a facade I put up so often, I need a fresh acquaintance with my greatest friend humility to kill my greatest enemy pride.
You definitely owe it to yourself to go and pick up a copy of this wonderful gospel centered work by CJ Mahaney, even if you don't think that you need it!

Here's a list of suggestions that CJ gives toward the end of the book, it kind of sums up the gist of all that the book contains, again these are just suggestions.

How To Weaken Pride and Cultivate Humility (A List of Suggestions)

Always:
1. Reflect on the wonder of the cross of Christ.

As Each Day Begins:
2. Begin the day by acknowledging your dependence upon God and your need for God
3. Begin your day expressing gratefulness to God.
4. Practice the spiritual disciplines-prayer, study of God's Word, worship. Do this consistently each day and at the day's outset if possible.
5. Sieze your commute time to memorize and meditate on Scripture.
6. Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

As Each Day Ends:
7. At the end of the day, transfer the glory to God.
8. Before going to sleep, receive the gift of sleep from God and acknowledge His purpose for sleep.

For Special Focus:
9. Study the attributes of God.
10. Study the doctrines of grace.
11. Study the doctrine of sin.
12. Play golf as much as possible.
13. Laugh often, and laugh often at yourself. ( I liked this one a lot!)

Throughout your days and weeks:
14. Identify evidences of grace in others.
15. Encourage and serve others each and every day.
16. Invite and pursue correction.
17. Respond humbly to trials.

http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=B3180-00-11

Bookends Of The Christian Life

2009-04-07T05:47:00.000-07:00

I'm always excited when I hear that Jerry Bridges is putting out a new book, Which is why I could not wait to get my hands on his new work with Bob Bevington; The Bookends of The Christian Life.
It is a relatively small book but packed full of huge content and not particularly light reading.
The whole concept of our Christian life as bookends is, on the one end we have the perfect righteousness of Christ, the object of our dependence. The other bookend is the power of the Holy Spirit, which is what we need to carry out our motivation and the enabling to serve and glorify the Lord.
The first half of the book lays out the gospel and our desperate need of it and to preach it to ourselves daily. It then breaks down common enemies to our living and experiencing the joy and fruit of living out the gospel daily in our lives. Self righteousness, persistent guilt and then goes into application of preaching the gospel to ourselves and also leaning the books of our lives (metaphorically) between the perfect righteousness of Christ and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, the bookends of the Christian Life.

This is a great read and one that I would highly recommend that you pick up, especially if you want to grow in your relationship with the Lord and you feel frustrated in your walk with Him.
Here is just a sample of some of the great content that lies within the pages of this great work by Bridges and Bevington;

Everyday; God be merciful to me, the sinner! (Luke 18:13)

Sunday: But he was wounded for my transgressions of________; he was crushed for my iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace, and with his stripes I am healed. Like a sheep I have gone astray; I have turned to my own way; and the Lord has laid on him my iniquity (Isaiah 53:5-6)

Monday: He will again have compassion on me; he will tread my iniquities of-_______under foot. You will cast all my sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)

Tuesday: Blessed am I, whose lawless deeds of ________are forgiven, and my sins are covered; blessed am I against whom the Lord will not count my sin. (Romans 4:7-8)

Wednesday: There is therefore now no condemnation for __________for me, as one who is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

Thursday: And I, who was dead in my trespasses of ___________and the uncircumcision of my flesh, God made alive together with Christ, having forgiven me all my trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against me with all it's legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14)

Friday: As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove my transgressions of __________ from me. (Psalm 103:12)

Saturday: Though my sins of ___________are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

Every day: Christ's work for me is finished! (John 19:30)

This is a great day by day reminder of the fact that we are to see ourselves as desperately lost sinners who have been rescued by the all sufficient righteousness of Christ, and that is just the first bookend!

You really do need to pick up a copy of this great work, your soul will thank you immensely!
Right now Monergism books is selling Bookends for 50% off the cover price, it's a great deal even with the cost of shipping, still cheaper than anywhere else.
http://www.monergismbooks.com/The-Bookends-of-the-Christian-Life-p-18320.html

Finally Alive

2009-04-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

If you haven't picked up a copy of John Piper's latest book Finally Alive, you really need to. It's a great read on the new birth, there is a lot of misunderstanding as to what the new birth truly is. We are totally helpless in our sinful state and God in his sovereignty and grace quickens us to new life, new birth or being born again.
As the back of this marvelous work by John Piper states, "God is the great Doer in this miracle of the new birth. And he has not been silent about it. This means that he does not want us to be ignorant of what he does in the new birth. It means that knowing what he has revealed about the new birth is good for us. When Jesus said, "You must be born again," he was not sharing interesting and unimportant information. He was leading us to eternal life."

You can pick up a copy over at www.desiringgod.org for a great price, you definitely will not regret it.

What Are You Thirsty For?

2009-03-23T06:11:00.001-07:00

I have really been enjoying "Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross" a compilation of various authors edited by Nancy Guthrie. The selection "I Am Thirsty" by Joseph "Skip" Ryan was today's reading based on John 19:28.
Jesus was dying on the cross and He was very thirsty, Ryan explains in detail what the human body experiences in extreme cases of thirst ; "In the first stages of dehydration, one feels an inward caving in or longing. But then as the thirst goes on, it actually becomes a deep and profound burning inside." He then goes on to make a spiritual analogy that I thought was quite good, "Spiritually speaking, if God is not at the center of our souls, then we do not have that which can ultimately meet our thirst and quench it. The real danger of that thirst is eternal death in Hell."
Our spiritual thirst will never be quenched, truly quenched until we come to a realization of our utter sinful and hopeless state before God the Father and turn to Him in sincere repentance and embrace Jesus and His work on the cross in our place.
Ryan references a great quote from C.S. Lewis here, "Heaven is the place where man says to God, 'Thy will be done.'Hell is the place where God says to man, 'Thy will be done.' Hell is the place where we get more and more of what we have been seeking to quench our thirst. Hell is the place where we get more than we ever wanted of those things that we are trying to stuff into our souls."
The things of this world will never satisfy our spiritual thirst, they weren't made to, be it a human relationship, a job or any created thing that we look to stuff into the place of God in our lives.
As Ryan states it, "At the cross, Jesus asks the question, what do you thirst after?" All through Scripture, thirst is metaphorical for a deep, inward spiritual emptiness, "Without God we will die, because the Bible says that what we most thirst for and need at the center of our lives is not stuff but God. The question always is, what do I drink to fill that deep and profound thirst within me?"
Jesus experienced the ultimate thirst for us, He thirsted unto death, experiencing the separation from God that we deserved. Taking the full wrath of God on our account, yet we still stick our mouths into the wells of this world to slake our spiritual thirst. Yet even as we do, the good news of the gospel is that God does not treat us as our many sins deserve. He treats us with mercy and amazing grace, that goes beyond our comprehension. I am so thankful for that and I am thankful for this little book, Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross. That is my prayer not only for this Easter season but for the rest of my days, that I would keep near the wonderful cross.
Do your thirsty soul a favor and pick up a copy of this wonderful resource, it will benefit you greatly.

The Cross Has Said It All

2009-03-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

The cross has said it all, there is nothing left to do, it is finished! Jesus willingly went to the cross, He chose to go there in total obedience to His Father and to fulfill the types and promises of the Old Testament scriptures that spoke of Him.
Jesus came intentionally to die, to be the passover lamb, our scape goat on whom our iniquities were to be laid. What is so amazing about the arrest of Jesus and journey to the cross is His incredible restraint of His power. At anytime He could have unleashed an amazing amount of power, enough to obliterate His captors, yet He only chided them for being cowards (Matt 26:55-56) He willingly gave Himself into their hands.
I am so very thankful that Jesus took my punishment and absorbed the wrath of God that rightfully was mine to take. I am so prone to sin, yet Jesus became sin for me that I might become the righteousness of God. I have nothing but sin to offer, but in Christ I have a brand new standing with God the Father! Thank you Jesus, thank you for the cross that you bore. May we keep ever so near the cross, never to forget that God glorifying work that was accomplished there.

There are two great resources for keeping near the cross. The first is Nancy Guthrie's "Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross" it's a group of devotional writings from people like CH Spurgeon, D Martin Lloyd Jones and Ligon Duncan and CJ Mahaney, among many others. It's available for a mere $10 over at www.desiringgod.org
The other great resource is "The Cross He Bore" by Fredrick S. Leahy. It takes you more through the journey to the cross. It is a very powerful little book, there are times when I have been reading it that I actually feel as if I'm there in the place with Christ. It would be a very soul nourishing resource for this Easter season. Check out Monergism books for this one. They were sold out but are expecting them from the UK soon.
http://www.monergismbooks.com/The-Cross-He-Bore-Meditations-on-the-Sufferings-of-the-Redeemer-p-16901.html

U2 on Letterman

2009-03-09T18:37:00.000-07:00

U2 was on Letterman for a whole week! great stuff here from the new album. I have been a fan of U2 for sometime, probably since I received my first copy of October on cassette way back in the day!...I won't mention which day! Anyway, enjoy!

Good Days Are Ahead

2009-03-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

Wait on the Lord, Good days are coming (Ps.27:13-14) In the time of waiting my perspective can become so distorted and my focus sets on the circumstance and not on the One who can deliver me through the circumstance, perspective is everything.
The great news found in Psalm 27:13-14 is that my circumstance, condition or crisis whatever you'd like to label it, is not final. I must look beyond my trial and see that God always comes through, no matter what. This is not where I'm always going to be, I am to anticipate God's intervention. That is truly what it means to wait on the Lord, I'm not just waiting around for my impending doom. I'm waiting for God to intervene and fight for me! He's going to show up!
In a hard time or lengthy stretch of bad circumstances I'm to choose strength and courage, not fear and confusion, those two come from the enemy of my soul. Even if the situation or circumstances never change, I will wait one the Lord who can totally change them. Trouble and bad circumstances will not last forever, good days are ahead and God is already very present! What an incredibly faithful God we serve! Praise Him!

The Great News of Romans 8:32!

2009-02-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

I was awakened this morning with a wonderful reminder during my quiet time. The Lord has really been using Romans 8:32 in my life lately, in my reading of Future Grace by John Piper and then this morning while reading a devotional by James MacDonald.
I am truly blown away by God's faithfulness and how he uses great books..especially the one that He wrote! and men of God who communicate the truth so very well. He is truly good and gracious and loving toward His children, I'm so thankful that my Father won't ever abandon me or leave me to figure things out on my own. He's good at taking care of me, I am so very thankful for that.

Here is the entry from Our Journey by James MacDonald;

God Is For You! Romans 8:31-34

Romans 8:31-34 is the best news of the day. Who's going to take you on with God standing beside you? What problem is too big? What enemy too strong? God is for you!

God is for you- He gave His Son for you. His pure, spotless, perfect Son took upon Himself the punishment for your sins and for mine. There's no gift better than that.

Since God has already given you His best, won't He also hear your prayer for anything less/ Having an infinite capacity to give and having already given His best, there's nothing you can ask from God that isn't incredibly, insignificantly less than what He's already given. That's why we come before the throne with boldness and confidence when we ask anything of Him, because "how will he not also....graciously give us all things?"

God is for you- He defends you. "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?" Who can accuse us? Who can tear us down before God? God is the one who justifies. He's the Judge. He drops the gavel and makes the final decision. "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." He knows all about us-every secret insecurity, every private struggle. And rather than condemn us, Jesus Christ prays for us. Doesn't that truth alone cause your spirit to rise up in grateful confidence?

God is for you-He helps you.
Hebrews 13:5-6 says, "For he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.'So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper.'" Your security is not in the stock market, nor in a successful carreer, nor in wise family decisions, nor in your own abilities. All those things can vanish in a moment. Your best thing is God is for you- James MacDonald

Let the truth of that sink into your heart today, that no matter what you may be facing. God is for you and He will never let you face anything on your own!

www.walkintheword.com

Future Grace and The Great Logic of Heaven

2009-02-27T07:27:00.000-08:00

I'm reading through John Piper's book "Future Grace". It is an incredible look at just how well our Heavenly Father takes care of us and supplies all that we need, even before we know that we need it...hence, future grace!

I went through the more condensed version, "Battling Unbelief" which is also a great read. I would highly suggest picking up both books and starting with Battling Unbelief. It really lays out the basic concept of future grace and it's a nice set up to go through Future Grace.

While reading through today's chapter, I came across this great quote from John Flavel regarding Romans 8:32;

"He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32). How is it imaginable that God should withhold, after this, spirituals or temporals, from his people? How shall he not call them effectually, justify them freely, sanctify them thoroughly, and glorify them eternally? How shall he not clothe them, feed them, protect and deliver them? Surely if he would not spare this own Son one stroke, one tear, one groan, one sigh, one circumstance of misery, it can never be imagined that ever he should, after this, deny or withhold from his people, for whose sakes all this was suffered, any mercies, any comforts, any privilege, spiritual or temporal, which is good for them."

What a thought! all things! even the things that we think are going to utterly destroy us, in God's ever capable hands, they are used for our good! Piper puts it much more elequantly; " The world is ours, Life is ours. Death is ours. God reigns so supremely on behalf of his elect that everything which faces us in a lifetime of obedience and ministry will be subdued by the mighty hand of God and made the servant of our holiness and our everlasting joy in God. If God isfor us, and if God is God, then it is true that nothing can succeed against us. He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will infallibly and freely with him give us all things-all thngs. the world, life, death, and God himself."
What an encouraging and God glorifying truth, that if God did the greater thing of giving up his one and only Son, he will most certainly do the lesser thing and take care of us his children and give us all things in Christ!

Head on over to desiringgod.org and pick up a copy of Future Grace or Battling Unbelief. They also have the DVD sessions of Battling Unbelief, another great resource to add to your arsenal!

http://www.desiringgod.org/Store/Books/ByTopic/85/62_Future_Grace/

God's Mercies Are New Every Morning!

2009-02-20T13:29:00.000-08:00

Battling Unbelief is a great book, it's a more condensed version of another great book Future Grace. If you get the chance to read either of these, it would be a great encouragement to your soul. The DVD sessions are also a great compliment to these two works by John Piper, all of these resources are available at www.desiringgod.org

This video is an excerpt from the session entitled Don't Be Anxious. Great stuff, especially in these uncertain times.

Living Water

2009-02-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

My wife and I were out this past weekend to this great bookstore, Good Steward Books (shameless plug). When lo and behold I came across Living Water Studies in John 4 by Martin Lloyd Jones! It was half off of the cover price to boot, book clearing houses are great!! It truly was a great find, I'm glad that yet another great book found me!
This excerpt is taken from the last chapter "More Than Conquers" It seemed exceptionally appropriate.

So the more you are afflicted and tried by things that happen to you from the outside and the malice of men, the more it drives you to realize that you do not belong to this world, that you are bigger than it, that you belong to Christ, you belong to heaven, you belong to glory—“a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

The trouble with all of us is that we think so little about that glory; we are looking so much at the outside, at the seen, the visible, that we do not gaze upon the unseen, the eternal, the glorious, which God in Christ is preparing for us. We do not heed the exhortation of Paul to the Colossians: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). So when afflictions and trials come, they force us to do what we had foolishly not been doing. We cannot enjoy the outside because it is all against us at the moment, and that, therefore, reminds us of the inside, the unseen, the eternal, the spiritual. And the moment we begin to think in that way, we are immune to what happens outside. This builds up, and we see the eternal more and more gloriously, and we know we are going on to it. So even if they kill us, what have they done? They have simply introduced us to that glory at an earlier point than we had expected. “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Now, my dear friends, it is the people who give this impression who conquer the world. These are the people who act as magnets, drawing others to the Lord Jesus Christ (p. 725).

I Choose To Trust

2009-02-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

I am totally amazed at God's faithfulness, He is so great at comforting us in our times of trial. This morning the Lord was speaking to me through a devotion by James MacDonald over at Walk In The Word. It came via the Our Journey devotional, thought I'd share it with you. Be encouraged today! God really is in control.

Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear. Trust is the act of my will to give my burdens to God. It's like a muscle-as you exercise it, trust gets stronger.

Trust is walking forward moment by moment, having rolled your burden onto God. You've no doubt said, "I gave it back to God once, but here it is again in my grip." When you sense that you have taken it back again, get back on your knees , get the burden back on God, get on your feet again and continue to trust.

When you off-load your burden onto God, you can pick up a promise from His Word. Second Peter 1:4 tells us that "He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you ma become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in this world." There are literally hundreds of promises that apply to your specific burden. God's Word is filled with treasure.

I'm claiming Isaiah 41:10 right now for a burden I am leaving at God's feet: "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." There it is! God is doing this whole thing with one hand tied behind His back. He's not stressed or strained. He's not worried about what to do. He has absolutely no capacity limits!

Isaiah continues, "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you'" (v.13)

Take a moment to read that awesome promise again. Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation. He sees more than you can ever see. God who loves you and is committed to you, will not disappoint you now or in the future if you put your weight fully on Him. - James MacDonald

Great thoughts, even greater truth. God is an ever present help in time of need!

Psalms Project

2009-02-05T10:22:00.001-08:00

I have been spending a great deal of time in the Psalms, never a bad thing to do!
There is such depth and great prayers that can help in a time when words escape me.

Sovereign Grace Music is running a crazy sale over at their webstore, it would be a great time to pick up a copy of the wonderful Psalms project. One of my favorites from this project is Out Of The Depths, it's a great song based on Ps 130. It speaks to the fact that our greatest problem is not the trials that we endure but our sins that we commit against a holy God. We have such great hope though as believers, God has forgiven us through the shed blood of Jesus, so even when we don't understand our circumstances, we can trust that God is good and worthy of our praise and we can totally trust Him.

Out Of The Depths

Out of the depths, O lord, I cry to you
When I am tempted to despair
Though I might fail to trust your promises
You never fail to hear my prayer
And if you judged my sin
I'd never stand again
But I see mercy in your hands

So more than watchmen for the morning
I will wait for you, my God
When my fears come with no warning
In your Word I'll put my trust
And when the harvest time is over
And I still see no fruit
I will wait
I will wait
For You

The secret mysteries belong to you
We only know what you reveal
And all my questions that are unresolved
Don't change the wisdom of your will
In every trial and loss
My hope is in the cross
Where Your compassions never fail

Bob Kaufflin 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)
http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/

Are We Growing In Grace?

2009-02-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

I love J.I. Packer, what an insightful and wise brother in the Lord. This article was printed a few years back but still so very relevant for today.
God is so very faithful to us, even in our unfaithfulness. He guides our each and every step, and He's in the habit of teaching us, as opposed to just injecting us with all of the proper responses to crises that we may face. Let us grow in grace knowing that our perfect Heavenly Father is guiding us each and every step of the way.

Crises of Faith Are Yardsticks for Growth

By J. I. Packer

How does one measure spiritual growth?

The question assumes that we do grow spiritually, that there is something to be measured. But can I take that for granted? Scripture tells us to grow—“grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” says Peter. But I suspect that, with all our passion for bodybuilding and personal development, very few of us are seeking to grow in the way that Peter tells us to. So very few of us are actually doing so.

Human parents would be very upset if five or ten or 20 or 40 years after birth their babies were still babies; it must also grieve our heavenly Father when his born-again children are content to mark time in immaturity rather than aim at spiritual advance.

May God joggle our consciences, and joggle them hard, about this! Meantime, however, back to my original question: how may growth in grace be discerned? How may we know that we grow?

To get a handle on this question, we must start by asking: what are the changes in a person’s life that show sanctification in progress? This is a bigger question than can be properly answered here, but we can point to at least three areas of necessary change. Each is double-barreled.

First, growth in grace means increase in humility, and in the passion for praise. A pair-of-scales effect operates here. The closer one walks with God, the more sensitive one becomes to sin. One’s estimate of oneself sinks lower because of the depths of sinfulness that one now sees within oneself. As one’s view of oneself goes down, so one’s gratitude for God’s love in salvation raises up in greater adoration.

Those who are growing spiritually tread in their inner life the path of punctured pride and passionate praise, and become ever more ardent in effacing themselves in order to exalt their Savior-God.

Second, growth in grace means increase in faith that will forfeit worldly security.

Fifteen years ago a man in an electronics shop said to me, “what you have faith in is what you’d bet your life on.” He was right! Growing in faith in the God of all grace produces willingness at his call to enter situations of material insecurity and, by human thinking, of risk. Once it is clear that the call really is from God and is not just a foolhardy fancy of one’s own, those who are growing in grace will obey the summons and, as Oswald Chambers put it, “smilingly wash their hands of the consequences. “That is not irresponsibility; it is, rather, faith in action, the kind of faith by which, we are told in Hebrews, “Abraham obeyed when he was called . . . and . . . went out, not knowing where he was to go.” Such faith sees obedience as top priority, and trusts God’s care. It embraces the path of obedience as the place of real and ultimate safety, however hazardous and indeed ruinous it may look from outside. In this sense all who grow in grace bet their lives on God constantly.

Third, growth in grace means increase in love that gives. Folk wisdom divides humanity into two classes, the givers and the takers, and many born-again Christians seem to remain takers rather than becoming givers. But those who are advancing into Christ-likeness renounce self-absorbed self-seeking. They actively love God and others, giving up to the limit of their time, talents, and treasure to honor God and help humans. Cheerful self-denying generosity, that gives and goes on giving even then, marks all who are growing in grace.

On now to crunch-point. Physical growth is discerned by measuring height and weight; how is spiritual growth measured?

The true answer is that it cannot be measured. Growth in grace is a mystery of grace, which it is beyond us to monitor in either ourselves or others. Observables, like zeal, knowledge, self-image, and behavior patterns, are ambiguous: they may be carnal at bottom, though spiritual-looking on the surface. The heart of growth is growth in the heart, which only God can search and know.

However, something of our spiritual stature may be discerned by our responses to what we call crises of decisions and Scripture calls temptations. Those who deal with crises, or temptations, better than they once did show that they have grown in grace in the interim.

Example: Abraham. Twice, early on in his life of faith, to save his skin he passed off his wife as his sister, free flesh ripe for the royal harem. Neither humility nor adoration nor obedience nor faith nor love was expressed in that action. But some decades later Abraham was ready at God’s call to sacrifice Isaac. The difference between that first response and later response to crises of decision showed that over the years Abraham had grown in grace.

Do you and I really grow in grace? I wonder.

This article was previously published in Eternity Magazine, January 1989.

What Is The Recession For?

2009-02-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

Desiring God had a very appropriate post today concerning the recession, seeing as how today I received notice that I no longer will be needed at my place of employment. I received a great deal of encouragement from this posting and wanted to share it with my brothers and sisters in Christ who may be experiencing a recession of their own, be it monetarily or otherwise. God is faithful and I'm confident in Him that He will see us through this time of trial. Psalm 56:3-4

What Is the Recession For?
February 2, 2009 | By: David Mathis
Category: DG Resources

This week's sermon: "What Is the Recession For?"

God is sovereign over all finances. Any economic recession—global or personal—is never less than recession-by-divine-design.

When the economy plummets, God has his purposes—perhaps thousands upon thousands of purposes. Some of these purposes he has made known in his Book.

At least 5 of them are:

1. To expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.
2. To wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. To relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods—in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. To advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church
5. To bring his church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

2 Corinthians 8:1 2 might be the clearest "recession text" in the Bible. It describes the roots of the joy of the Macedonian believers in their "recession." In their "severe test of affliction" and "extreme poverty," their abundant joy "overflowed in a wealth of generosity."

Their generosity didn't come from prosperity but from God's grace—and this grace rooted in "our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Mark Driscoll on Nightline

2009-01-29T20:57:00.000-08:00

Mark Driscoll was on Nightline recently, It was a nice look at Mark outside of the pulpit. I thought that it was worth sharing. And for a good read, check out Vintage Jesus and Death by Love.

Our Father

2009-01-26T05:31:00.000-08:00

I've been on a bit of a Spurgeon kick lately, I have really been enjoying the readings from Morning by Morning. Today's was on the fatherhood of God, the doctrine of adoption is one that has affected me greatly. No matter what kind of earthly father you may have had or have, God is your perfect Father who knows you better than you know yourself. And He loves you with an everlasting love! What great news, that we have a Father who will never fail us and has only good planned for us. What a worship inducing thought!

...your heavenly Father...

-- Matthew 6:26

God's people are doubly His children. They are His offspring by creation, and they are His sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call Him, "Our Father in heaven."

Father! Oh, what a precious word is that. Here is authority: "If I be a Father, where is My honor?" If you are sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an authority that does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded that is most cheerfully rendered--which would not be withheld even if it might.

The obedience that God's children yield to Him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster's toil, but run in the way of His commands because it is your Father's way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father's will, and His will should be the will of His child.

Father! Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love that the King's crown is forgotten in the King's face, and His scepter becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver scepter of mercy--the scepter indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of Him who wields it.

Father! Here is honor and love. How great is a Father's love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not attempt, a father's heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his offspring, and he must bless them; they are his children, and he must show himself strong in their defense. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father?

Abba, Father! He who can say this has uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word--Father! There is all I can ask, all my necessities can demand, all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can say, "Father."

A Brother In Heaven

2009-01-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

I've been dwelling in the book of Hebrews as of late, our small group is going through the book. I've been benefiting greatly from pondering the amazing truth about Jesus becoming my high priest and entering into the literal Holy of Holies and paying for my sin with His very own blood. What an amazing thing! This selection from Spurgeon goes right along with the great news that Jesus is our brother and our all sufficient Savior!

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

-- Psalm 89:19

Why was Christ chosen out of the people? Speak, my heart, for heart-thoughts are best. Was it not that He might be able to be our brother, in the blest tie of kindred blood? Oh, what relationship there is between Christ and the believer! The believer can say, "I have a Brother in heaven. I may be poor, but I have a Brother who is rich and is a King, and will He allow me to be in want while He is on His throne? Oh, no! He loves me; He is my Brother."

Believer, wear this blessed thought, like a necklace of diamonds, around the neck of your memory; put it, as a golden ring, on the finger of recollection, and use it as the King's own seal, stamping the petitions of your faith with confidence of success.

He is a brother born for adversity--treat Him as such.
Christ was also chosen out of the people that He might know our wants and sympathize with us. "Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."¹ In all our sorrows we have His sympathy. Temptation, pain, disappointment, weakness, weariness, poverty--He knows them all, for He has felt all.

Remember this, Christian, and let it comfort you. However difficult and painful your road, it is marked by the footsteps of your Savior; and even when you reach the dark valley of the shadow of death and the deep waters of the swelling Jordan, you will find His footprints there. Wherever we go, in every place, He has been our forerunner; each burden we have to carry has once been laid on the shoulders of Immanuel.

His way was much rougher and darker than mine.
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer, and shall I repine?

Take courage! Royal feet have left a blood-red track upon the road and consecrated the thorny path forever.

¹Hebrews 4:15

Does He Care?

2009-01-20T09:34:00.000-08:00

Jerry Bridge's great devotional work, Holiness day by day is a wonderful way to practice preaching the gospel to yourself daily. The subject of God's grace toward undeserving sinners, such as myself is throughout the entire book, since the selections are based on the previous books by Jerry Bridges, such as The Discipline of Grace, The Gospel for Real Life, Transforming Grace and so on.
The one that stuck out to me today was one entitled "Does He Care" concerning God's blessing being contingent on our performance; "Does this mean God no longer cares whether we obey or disobey? Not at all. The Scripture speaks of our grieving the Holy Spirit through our sins (Eph.4:30) And Paul prayed that we "may please [God] in every way" (Col 1:10)
God definitely cares about our conduct and He will discipline us if we refuse to repent of conscious sin, however it's not as a cruel and angry judge but as a loving Heavenly Father thanks to Christ. It's out of His love toward us as opposed to His wrath, for our good and not for our harm.
God's blessings are not based on our performance though, it's so easy to slip into that line of thinking, that if I'm good then God will bless me, but if I slip up His blessing is removed. The problem with this way of thinking is that even our best efforts are filled with sin- we have impure motives and we are so imperfect in our performance. We are so selfish, guarded and filled with sin through and through.
We need to have a fuller understanding of our total depravity and have a fuller realization of Jesus full payment of the penalty for our sins, as stated by Mr. Bridges; "And because we don't fully grasp that Jesus paid the penalty for all of our sins, we despair of God's blessing when we've failed to live up to even our desires to please God."
I love the way Jerry ends this selection, "Your worst days are never so bad that you're beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you're beyond th need of God's grace."
I desperately need the grace of God, I'm so thankful that He does not treat me as my many sins deserve (Ps 103:10).